Almost £179,000 has been spent at Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground, nearly 64% of it developer money. Here is what is new and how to book it.

Almost £179,000 has been spent on the outdoor facilities at Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground, and nearly 64% of it came from Section 106 developer contributions rather than council funds. The work has added pickleball courts, a nine-hole mini golf course themed on Tonbridge landmarks, an expanded outdoor gym and rebuilt tennis courts.

The borough council announced the total on 13 August, after the work was already open and in use.

What has changed

The council lists six pieces of work at the 69-acre park:

  • New pickleball courts.
  • A nine-hole mini golf course, with each hole based on a Tonbridge landmark: St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Tonbridge Priory, Tonbridge Castle and the Big Bridge.
  • Rebuilt tennis courts, with new perimeter fencing, new playing surfaces and nets, thermoplastic surfacing and a new gate system that allows online booking.
  • An expanded outdoor gym, with a full-body equipment range and a mobility trail aimed at people in rehabilitation as well as regular users.
  • New court markings on the multi-use games area, for football and basketball.
  • Fresh white sand in the sand pit.

Councillor Des Keers, cabinet member for communities, said the park is “one of our most popular” and that “it’s investments like this that help to make healthy, affordable outdoor activities accessible to more people”. (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council)

Who paid for the Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground upgrade, and what it bought Almost 179,000 pounds was spent at Tonbridge Racecourse Sportsground. Almost 64 per cent came from Section 106 developer contributions and the remainder from council funding. The work delivered new pickleball courts, a nine-hole Tonbridge-themed mini golf course, rebuilt tennis courts with online booking, an expanded outdoor gym with a mobility trail, new football and basketball markings on the multi-use games area, and fresh sand in the sand pit. Almost £179,000 at the Racecourse Sportsground The council gives the total and the funding share, but not a pound figure for each item. Where the money came from Almost 64%: Section 106 developer contributions The rest: council funding What it bought Pickleball courts New Mini golf, 9 holes Themed on Tonbridge landmarks Four tennis courts Rebuilt, online booking gate Outdoor gym Expanded, plus mobility trail Multi-use games area New football and basketball lines Sand pit Replenished with white sand Getting there: there is no direct car access to the sportsground. The footbridge from Lower Castle Fields car park was removed in July 2026 and has not been replaced. Use the pedestrian bridge near Tonbridge Swimming Pool instead. Source: Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, 13 August and 20 July 2026. Graphic by Tonbridge Today
The council gives one total and one funding share. It has not published a cost for each item.

The catch: getting there is harder than it was

The council’s own page for the sportsground says plainly that there is no direct access to this sportsground by car, and that the car parks near it are pay and display. (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council)

That matters more this summer than last, because the pedestrian bridge that linked Lower Castle Fields car park to the sportsground was lifted out by crane between 21 and 24 July. Inspections had found a corroded subframe and movement in the abutments. It had been installed in 1994 as a temporary structure while Tonbridge Swimming Pool was being built.

No decision has been taken on replacing it. For now the route in from the town centre is the pedestrian bridge near Tonbridge Swimming Pool. (Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council)

So the park has £179,000 of new equipment and one fewer way to walk to it.

What it means for you

How to hire things. The council’s page says mini golf equipment and the tennis courts are hired at the food and drink kiosk during the summer months. Football pitches are booked through the Angel Centre. The new gate system on the tennis courts is intended to allow online booking through the leisure trust, so check both before you set off, especially once the school holidays end.

Where to park. The sportsground address is The Slade, Tonbridge, TN9 1HR. Nearby council car parks are pay and display; charges are on the council’s car park finder.

What is free. The outdoor gym, the skate park, the play area, the two outdoor table tennis tables and the paths are not hired. Neither is the virtual orienteering, which uses the free MapRun app, with printed maps £1 from Tonbridge Castle gift shop.

One thing to be aware of. The council’s facilities page has not caught up with the news release. It still lists a “crazy golf course” and does not mention pickleball at all, so treat the news release as the current picture and ring leisure services on 01732 844522 if you need to be certain before travelling.

What else is on site. A baseball diamond, 23 football pitches, 12 rugby pitches, a bowling green, a skate park, a play area for toddlers to teenagers, and a miniature railway run by Tonbridge Model Engineering Society during the summer. The park has held Green Flag accreditation for 20 consecutive years, and its paths link to Haysden Country Park and on towards Penshurst Place.

Where the money came from

Section 106 money is paid by developers as a condition of planning permission, to offset the pressure new housing puts on local facilities. It is tied to specific purposes, so it cannot simply be spent on whatever the council likes.

The council has not published a breakdown of which developments paid, or how much each item cost. It has given one total and one percentage.

Sources

Figures are as published by the council on 13 August 2026. Hire arrangements and charges change seasonally; confirm with leisure services before you travel.