Sevenoaks Town Council invests in important community assets

Published: 28 August 2025

Sevenoaks Town Council is committed to enhancing community spaces and is investing in key areas across the town including play areas, parks, and local woodlands.

Improvements to play areas

The Town Council has an ongoing play areas refurbishment programme to ensure they remain safe and enjoyable for children to use. As part of this programme, improvement works will take place at two existing play areas: Buckhurst Lane, with an investment of £25,000, and Kippington Meadow, where £5,000 has been allocated.

At Greatness Recreation Ground, £250,000 has been earmarked for a new relocated play area, planned for 2026. A playground design featuring improved accessibility will soon undergo public consultation.

Sevenoaks Town Council is currently reviewing its overall refurbishment strategy to ensure timely upgrades to play areas and continued high standards.

Ongoing repairs, maintenance, and health and safety inspections are funded through the Town Council’s annual revenue budget. Larger projects for new and upgraded equipment are generally financed through external grants, capital income, and, in recent years, Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) income from developers.

Refurbishing Vine Bridge

At the Vine Gardens, the Town Council is planning a full refurbishment of the wooden bridge over the pond that connects the pergola and grassed areas.

As the Vine is a designated Conservation Area, the refurbishment must be carefully considered in line with conservation guidelines. Sevenoaks District Council’s Vine Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan highlights the bridge as a key feature, noting: “The pleasure gardens have a rustic feel with a timber bridge and pergola that supports a magnificent wisteria.”

As a historic wooden bridge, it requires regular maintenance, and minor repairs are planned in the short-term.

The Town Council plans to undertake a full refurbishment of the bridge next year, and Councillors will consider a more modern design. The design proposal will be subject to consultation and will be in line with planning regulations and conservation area requirements.

 

Woodland management

Sevenoaks Town Council manages 16 areas of woodland, and to ensure their protection and long-term care, a 5-Year Management Plan is prepared for each of these.

At the recent Sevenoaks Town Council Community Asset (Open Spaces) Committee meeting, Councillors reviewed the draft Woodland Management Plans. They were pleased to see there were no major issues, only normal maintenance for woodlands. The only recommendations included managed coppicing (cutting trees or shrubs back to ground level to stimulate growth), planting of more oak trees within chestnut coppiced areas, and rhododendron control.

The Council’s newly acquired Longspring Wood was included in the plans. Sevenoaks Town Council purchased the 14-acre ancient woodland last year, made possible thanks to the support and generous donations of the Sevenoaks community.