Plans have been drawn up to turn the Groombridge Place moated manor house into a luxury hotel, restaurant and spa.
Groombridge Place was built in 1662 and was until recently a family home.
The changes for the 100 acre site have been submitted to Tunbridge Wells Borough Council for approval.
The developers have a national chain of 8 luxury hotels called “The Pig” and the new location will be called “The Pig at Groombridge.”
The Groombridge hotel should open in 2026, with facilities such as a spa, vineyard restaurant, hydro pool and a yoga pavilion.
Chief executive of The Pig, Tom Ross (above), said:
“It is a wonderful property.
“It is a well-known building, so when it came on the market, we were aware of it and thought it would make a fantastic Pig Hotel.
“We are really excited about Groombridge. It is such a wonderful building; it has a huge amount of character, so to be able to bring that back to life is really the aspiration here.”
It is hoped the renovation will see increased local employment in the area and bring guests to explore the heritage of Groombridge and wider parts of Tunbridge Wells.
The council’s planning department has not decided on the application.
There will be 56 bedrooms in total, with other plans including building a car park and extending barns and stables.
Groombridge Place has been under refurbishment since March 2023 and The Pig had originally hoped to open the new hotel in 2025.
The brand already has a hotel in Kent near Canterbury, and like their other locations, they will grow their own food or locally source within 25 miles of Groombridge.
The owl and raptor centres will be moved, with the long-term ambition being that the centres become part of the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Groombridge Place is a Grade I listed building and was first mentioned in 1239.
The current building was built in 1662 by Philip Packer and his friend Christopher Wren.
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