A council hosted a public meeting to explain its ambitious plans to develop a new sports hub, but some of the attendees seem to have come away unimpressed.

Tunbridge Wells council has listed the scheme, on the Hawkenbury Recreation Ground and adjoining land, as one of its “eight big projects” in its draft Local Plan.

It intends to create a new sports hub and football “centre of excellence.”

But despite the meeting at the Reformed Church in Hawkenbury last Thursday, the scheme is not going down well with local residents in nearby Sherborne Close, Cleeve Avenue and Chester Avenue, who fear the increased traffic and noise from matches.

The plans have also upset the 130-year-old Hawkenbury Allotment Holders' Association who have been told they will have to sacrifice some of their land so that an access road to the new sports hub, High Woods Lane, can be widened.

The scheme includes a new stadium for Tunbridge Wells Football Club, with an eventual capacity for 3,000 supporters. The club has an ambition to progress to the national league from its current position in the Southern Counties East League Premier Division.

Ian Kirkham, 61, who lives nearby, was one of around 50 people who attended the council’s consultation event.

He said: “We came away feeling like it was a done deal before it even started.

“The scheme has not gone to planning yet and we were told we would get a chance to object later, but they just wanted to tell us how wonderful it will be.

“A lot of people around here are elderly. They are not going to want all this extra traffic, with practice sessions every night.

“But I think a lot of people are still unaware of what’s being proposed. Not everyone’s computer literate and it’s very difficult to find any details online.”

Mr Kirkham said: “There has been a strategic withholding of information about this project, with most who live locally kept in the dark.”

Sherbourne Close is home to a 94-flat retirement complex.

As part of the council’s over-arching campaign, once the new sports hub is built at Hawknbury, the existing sports fields at Colebrook, Bayham West and Tunbridge Wells FC’s currrent ground at Culverden will be redeveloped as housing.

Cllr Hugo Pound (Lab) said: “I am supportive of more sports facilities across the borough, but strongly believe that they should be located in communities, not clustered in a single location.

“There are significant issues at Hawkenbury with access, noise, floodlighting near bungalows and assisted living accommodation, road widening of a country lane, the need to compulsorily buy the land, the loss of viable arable farming land and disturbance of wildlife. It’s simply not a great site and should be withdrawn.”

“I have always spoken out against this site and I and Labour colleagues will continue to do so. Let’s keep access to sport local; let’s keep our green spaces local, and let’s look again at the options.”

To see more planning applications and other public notices for your area, click here

Tunbridge Wells council said: “Cabinet members Pamela Wilkinson (Sports, Leisure and Health) and Matt Lowe (Planning), (both Liberal Democrats) held the meeting to explain the history and provide information about the proposal in the draft Local Plan for a football hub at Hawkenbury.

“The proposal would see the expansion of existing facilities on land adjoining Hawkenbury Recreation Ground to provide more, improved football facilities to meet the town's growing demand, as well as new facilities for TWFC.

“Around 50 people saw a presentation from the cabinet members and officers and had the opportunity to ask questions.

“Follow-up information and answers to questions about the Hawkenbury Hub will shortly be available on the council’s website.”