Councillors have voted to approve a £70 million extension at a shopping centre in Tunbridge Wells.

More than 140,000 sq ft of new retail, food and beverage space and a new 30,000 sq ft cinema will now be constructed at Royal Victoria Place.

The corner of Calverley Road and Camden Road will be redeveloped with new buildings and a new entrance.

The former Friendly Society building on Camden Road will be totally refurbished, keeping its original features.

The state-of-the-art cinema will be constructed above the new stores.

The architecture of the extension – designed by Haskoll Architects – hopes to introduce modern units that will attract prestigious, global brands.

Chris Taylor, Head of Private Markets at Hermes Investment Management, which runs the centre, said: “Achieving this planning consent represents both Hermes Investment Management and the local authority’s strong commitment to enhancing the status of the town’s retail and leisure offer.

"Already the region’s dominant shopping destination, RVP will now further capitalise on the potential that its affluent catchment offers, and we are delighted with the result.”

Earlier this month a 3D model of the extension was put on display in RVP.

The model was placed in the centre's 'Our Vision' section close to the Fiveways entrance.