Summary of public meeting
At a public meeting held on 8 April 2026, Cllr Matt Boughton (Leader of Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council) discussed South East Water’s response to the Council’s Regulation 18 Local Plan consultation As a statutory consultee, South East Water submitted a six‑page response referencing its Water Resources Management Plan 2024. The response highlighted a significant difference between the Government’s housing targets for Tonbridge and Malling and the housing figures used in South East Water’s infrastructure planning, stating that current and planned supply cannot support the scale of development proposed.
The Council has formally raised these concerns with South East Water and the Government. A letter was sent to South East Water’s chief executive setting out concerns and seeking clarity on supply capacity, infrastructure improvements and whether the issues would be communicated to Government. South East Water confirmed it cannot meet the housing targets with existing capacity and outlined planned infrastructure upgrades, noting that major improvements are not expected before 2032.
The Council has also written to the Minister for Housing and Planning to make Government aware that the statutory water provider has stated it cannot supply water for the imposed housing targets. Reference was made to a recent parliamentary debate on the issue and ongoing lobbying through MPs. At the time of the meeting, no direct written response from Government had been received.
Those in attendance were updated on engagement with the Planning Inspectorate, including an advisory visit, and were advised that Government departments are considering the issue through a Water Delivery Taskforce. The Council is awaiting the outcomes of this work while continuing to press for solutions.
As a consequence of South East Water’s response, water supply has become a material planning consideration for some planning applications. Applicants may be required to demonstrate compliance with Policy SQ5 by showing that adequate water and wastewater infrastructure is available or can be provided. Planning permission will only be granted where sufficient capacity exists or can be delivered, with developers required to fund infrastructure improvements where necessary.
Developers were advised to refer to updated guidance on the Council’s website, engage in early discussions with planning officers and provide evidence of water infrastructure capacity as part of their applications. Case officers are proactively contacting affected applicants, and site‑specific advice is available.
The Council is reviewing existing permissions that have not yet been built out to understand their impact on remaining supply. It was confirmed that each application will be assessed individually, with differences noted between brownfield sites with existing connections and greenfield sites requiring new infrastructure.
Questions were raised about the Water Resources Management Plan, including whether it should be reviewed annually in light of material changes. It was clarified that the Council cannot compel the water company to update its plan and that this is a matter for Government. Concerns were also raised about how supply headroom is calculated and the timing of infrastructure investment, with clarification that extant permissions reduce available headroom.
Cllr Boughton confirmed the Council is taking legal advice on its position should a solution not be found but cannot share legally privileged advice publicly. It was repeatedly emphasised that the Council does not control water infrastructure or national housing targets and must rely on Government and water company actions, while continuing to lobby for better coordination.
The role of community groups, parish councils and MPs was discussed, with encouragement for continued engagement with Government to support the Council’s lobbying efforts. The Council committed to ongoing transparency and information sharing through website updates, briefings and further engagement and offered to attend community or parish meetings where helpful.
Technical approaches such as water neutrality and efficiency measures were discussed. The Council confirmed it is open to innovative solutions but noted that long‑term resolution depends on infrastructure investment and Government decisions. Concerns were also raised about cumulative impacts across borough boundaries and the Council’s limited ability to revisit previously approved developments.