Do you want to see this next to Waitrose?

Do we really want to see this in Tonbridge town centre? Well this is the view of the proposed project which is currently seeking planning permission from Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council. The proposal for the development of the area between Waitrose and the Angel Centre, currently the vacant Sovereign House, includes a 15 storey tower block which will dominate the Tonbridge skyline for at least a generation. This on top of the Harvester Foundation church tower at the Riverside centre, where incidentally, you can go and be cured of cancer by Pastor Foxwell! (see earlier posting) and before the Angel Centre and Sainsbury's redevelopment. It doesn't take a genius to work out that this tower will more than likely open the flood gates for similar schemes. Personally I'm not sure that there is anything wrong with tall buildings so long as they are designed well and there aren't masses of them. I know this is only an artist's drawing of one view of the project but it doesn't exactly say to you "Tonbridge a town for the future." At best it smacks of being like Croydon or Milton Keynes or parts of Maidstone. We need a decent shopping area and more tasteful buildings in the town, but is this the one? Shouldn't any such projects be in keeping with the historical nature of the town? Share your views on this because, without doubt, this is the most significant development in Tonbridge since the De Clare family said "I know let's build a castle on the river in that place we've named Tonebrigge."