Residents in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent, have been told that 256 acres of local green space will remain open and protected even if the land is sold to a new owner. The Tunbridge Wells & Rusthall Commons Conservators published a factsheet in January 2026 explaining that the Commons are shielded by the Tunbridge Wells Improvement Act 1890, meaning the land cannot be developed and public access is preserved.
The land, which includes well-known spots such as Wellington Rocks and Happy Valley, was put on the market in late 2025 by Targetfollow (registered in the sale materials as Targetfollow (Pantiles) Limited / Targetfollow Group Ltd). Some residents had worried that a new owner might try to build houses on the Commons or restrict access to paths and trails. The Conservators’ factsheet says the 1890 Act and related protections ensure the Commons must be kept as a public open space and that management remains with the Conservators regardless of who holds the manor title.
While the Commons are for sale, the Friends of Tunbridge Wells and Rusthall Commons are leading a community fundraising campaign to buy the land into community ownership. Tunbridge Wells Borough Council has listed the Commons as an Asset of Community Value (ACV), which triggers the community right to bid and gives local groups until 26 March 2026 to raise funds and submit an offer.
The statutory 12-member Tunbridge Wells & Rusthall Commons Conservators will continue day-to-day management of the Commons; they are funded by the Borough Council but operate independently under the 1890 Act. The Council provides more than £160,000 annually toward upkeep. Targetfollow has clarified that the sale does not include The Pantiles, which it will continue to own.
The Conservators published the factsheet to allay fears about the Commons’ future. As their January 2026 statement put it: ‘The Commons are protected by their own Act of Parliament. No owner, present or future, can build on the land or restrict the public’s right to roam. Our message to residents is: the view you see today is the view you will see tomorrow.’ The Manor of Rusthall title was last sold in 2008, making this a rare opportunity in recent years for the town to consider transferring ownership into public or charitable hands.
