The Duchy of Cornwall team behind Prince William’s 2,500-home estate in Faversham say local opposition has gone too far

The project team behind a tender for a 2,500-home estate on land owned by Prince William claims talk of a local revolt against the plans has been exaggerated.

The Duchy of Cornwall – a vast property portfolio led by the future king – wants to build the sprawling development between the M2 and A2 at Faversham.

His scheme – formally submitted to Swale Borough Council in March – has already sparked a number of objections, with local residents’ concerns even attracting the attention of the national media.

A headline in The Times read “The medieval town riots over royal plans to develop farmland‘ while The Express ran with ‘Prince William’s ‘garden city’ plans could lead to ‘permanent gridlock’ for locals‘.

But those behind the development say the Duchy’s royal links make it an “easy target”, arguing that around 40 objections so far to such a large scheme could actually be considered a “success”.

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In an interview with industry publication Building Design, the Duchy’s estates director Ben Murphy said: “It’s fascinating how badly this has been misconstrued.

“A 2,500-home urban extension of a beautiful, historic ancient town that everyone loves… and has only 40 objections despite being in the national press for two weeks?”

“I don’t want to say ‘let’s get out the fiddle for the Duchy of Cornwall’, but partly it’s because of who we are, I think. Obviously we’re working for someone big, so it’s easy to get into the press if you want to talk about us and our scheme.”

In the same article, landscape designer for the Faversham scheme, Kim Wilkie, says the site of the proposed development is “one of the most logical places to put houses”.

“The Duchy could not have gone further with both the people of Faversham and the press to explain what was happening and why,” he told Building Design.

The proposed homes were designed by Ben Pentreath, the man behind the Poundbury Duchy development in Dorchester, which many have celebrated as an example of sensitive expansion of a historic town.

Of the Faversham scheme, Mr Pentreath said: “Really, the project is fantastic. It is completely amazing.

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“It’s a perfect model of what the development of a threatened town like Faversham should be – which is why there are a lot of people in Faversham who are very supportive and very aware of how much trouble and effort the Duchy has gone to.”

But while there is undoubtedly support for the scheme, there is vocal and determined opposition that shows no signs of abating.

Protesters have raised money to print 14,000 flyers to post in every house in Faversham and surrounding villages, ensuring all locals are “fully informed” of what they say will be a disastrous scheme.

They claim it will see 320 acres of prime farmland concreted over, while creating traffic chaos and air pollution and putting extra pressure on services such as GP care.

Campaign group Farms, Fields and Fresh Air is leading the opposition and has raised more than £1,000 through a JustGiving page to pay for the leaflets, which they say will be put in every letterbox in Faversham, Boughton, Dunkirk, Selling, Sheldwich, Graveney, and Goodnestone.

“We need to make sure everyone is aware of the real negative impact of this development, because many are not,” campaign spokeswoman Carol Smith said.

The highly controversial scheme was originally proposed when King Charles was Duke of Cornwall after the land on Selling Road, near Brenley Corner, was bought in 1999. Now Prince William has taken over the Duchy.

The Duchy claims the scheme will address the housing shortage in the area and create one of the UK’s greenest ‘net zero’ boroughs, while ‘complementing Faversham’s unique historic character and identity’.

It claims the development will generate at least 20% fewer car journeys compared to properties of a similar size, encouraging public transport use and active travel.

A spokesman added: “The development will prioritize access to green spaces, sustainable transport and focus on community needs – including affordable housing and a new primary school, as well as new traffic infrastructure and health services.” .

The full application for the first phase of 261 homes, which has a vast 461 documents to be reviewed, is currently out for consultation.

It has already attracted a number of unfavorable comments from the public, with many concerned about the impact on surrounding roads.

Louise Moon wrote: “The infrastructure in and around Faversham can’t take any more houses yet.

“Our roads are becoming congested with the amount of development going on and this will only add more traffic.

“This will cause even more pollution for Faversham – as with other developments – it’s on the outskirts of town and people won’t be walking, they’ll be using their cars.”

Nikki Willmott added: “Brenley Corner is always busy with the volume of cars and trucks already using the roads.

“If an agreement is reached, rural villages will be a thing of the past.

“Public transport is another problem as buses and trains are unreliable and expensive.

“This will result in more cars on the road. We always complain about the bus service.”

The application and feedback will be assessed by the SBC before coming to its planning committee for consideration in the near future.

But campaigners say the borough is already burdened by excessive government targets for new homes, with 1,850 homes given planning permission and built around Faversham in recent years.

“The land that the Duchy wants to develop will represent the loss of one last ‘green lung’ around this small, historic, rural town and is vitally important for nature,” Ms Smith said.

“The loss of 320 acres of top grade decommissioned farmland by Prince William’s Duchy of Cornwall will also adversely affect the UK’s future food security.

“We live in a water-scarce area, with our wildlife and scarce chalk streams suffering, due to increasing pressures on water supplies.”