Is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council gambling our assets away?

By [lmoran]

IT is almost one year since Tunbridge Wells Borough Council signed an unprecedented deal with property developer John Laing to regenerate four towns in the area - Tunbridge Wells, Southborough, Paddock Wood and Cranbrook.

The idea is to share the council's land with John Laing's cash to make even more money for the taxpayer and regenerate the areas in an appropriate way. But views are mixed on the 10-year project, which is the first of its kind in the UK. While some people think it will mean towns are regenerated in the best possible way, others are uneasy about a council being so tied in with a developer.

As its first anniversary approaches, in this week's paper Lee Moran looks into how the company works, and its perceived pros and cons.

Buy today's Kent and Sussex Courier for our full four-page investigation into the project.