Plans to Demolish Hermes House for New Rehab Centre in Tunbridge Wells

Plans have emerged to demolish the historic Hermes House in Tunbridge Wells to construct a new rehabilitation and recovery centre. Renaiss Health, the developer behind this initiative, intends to replace the building, located on St John’s Road, with a facility designed for short-term physical rehabilitation. The proposed centre would feature 55 bedrooms and provide 34 parking spaces. According to Renaiss Health, plans for this development will be submitted later this year.

The site has a history as the former headquarters of Logistics UK, which relocated earlier this summer. Renaiss Health aims to address the pressing need for rehabilitation services post-surgery. It anticipates that the new centre will accommodate around 2,050 patients annually, with stays averaging one week. The facility’s focus will be on helping individuals regain strength and mobility after hospital discharge, thus aiding in the transition back to home life.

Facility Features and Local Impact

Renaiss Health has outlined that the centre will employ physiotherapists, nurses, and an in-house doctor, providing round-the-clock care. Additionally, they estimate that the facility will create approximately 88 jobs within the community. Amenities will include 55 en suite bedrooms, a hydrotherapy pool, a gym, and communal dining and lounge areas.

According to Renaiss Health, the project is expected to offer significant benefits to the National Health Service (NHS) by freeing up hospital beds for other patients. The company stated, “The local benefits of this scheme will include savings to the NHS and the provision of choice of an alternative appropriate facility.”

As reported by KentLive, the previous building application for residential flats on this site received planning permission in 2022. The Royal Tunbridge Wells Civic Society had previously sought to secure protection for Hermes House, which was designed by local architect Cecil Burns and originally functioned as a Christian Science Church when it opened in 1931. The church ceased operations in the 1950s, and Logistics UK had utilized the building as its headquarters since 1975 until relocating to Lonsdale Gardens this year.

Community Engagement and Future Developments

Renaiss Health has stated that it has been actively engaging with local stakeholders, including Tunbridge Wells Girls’ Grammar School, to discuss the proposed centre. The company clarified that while a residential scheme was approved in 2022, their current application for the rehabilitation centre is entirely separate.

Currently, Renaiss Health is working on its first site in Richmond and announced in September that it had appointed a contractor for that development. The community in Tunbridge Wells is awaiting further details as plans develop, reflecting a growing interest in the future of Hermes House and the potential impact of this new facility on local healthcare services.