Prince William’s 2,500-home ‘garden town’ on Kent farmland approved – despite fury over ‘eyesore’ claims

The Duchy of Cornwall submitted its plans to create a new "garden" neighbourhood – South East Faversham, on the edge of the town – to Swale Borough Council in 2024.

Councillors approved the first phase of the bid, which includes 261 homes – 35 per cent being affordable housing – a local centre and green space, on Tuesday evening in a majority vote of 11 in favour and five against.

It is hoped that construction will begin in 2027/28 after the approval, the Duchy of Cornwall said.

Documents published before the planning committee's meeting set out that 467 objections had been received over the plan, for reasons including increased traffic, loss of high-quality agricultural land, harm to wildlife, heritage and character of the area, and lack of sufficient infrastructure.

Twelve letters supported the application for a high standard of design and said it will be a new sustainable community.

Speaking against the plan at the meeting, Boughton Under Blean Parish Council member Sarah Moakes said the response was "hardly a ringing endorsement" and warned the site does not integrate well with the wider rural setting.

"The Duchy is a Trojan horse, ushering in another 3,000 houses plus industrial development, a vast urban sprawl as far as the Thanet Way," she said.

Jonnie Reeves of Selling Parish Council told the committee: "This is an eyesore. It is too big. It is out of scale. It will cause massive traffic congestion."

Faversham Community Land Trust chairman Harold Goodwin urged councillors to support William's plans to provide social housing, which is "superior" to others.

He said: "We hope that these councillors will stand up to support Prince William in seeking to provide social housing, setting an example for other developers across the country.

"(It) could be unacceptable if Swale frustrated the Duchy's plans for social housing."

The Duchy of Cornwall's planning adviser, Roger Hepher, told the committee that the council is a "long way short" of having a five-year housing land supply and the delivery of affordable housing has been "very difficult".

He said: "This development would address both of those issues with the first phase, a large proportion of which would be social rented housing being ready for development in short order.

"The Duchy's earnest objective for this scheme is to bring about a new community that's loved by the residents of Faversham, because it is sensitively designed to respond to local needs and provides much wider benefits to the town."

The overall neighbourhood plans will also include a new primary school, a health centre, improved transport links for buses, cycling and walking, and renewable energy.

Based on current proposals of 2,500 homes planned, more than 890 would be "affordable", including a mix of shared ownership, social rent and affordable rent.

The Duchy of Cornwall has a number of housing projects including developments at Poundbury in Dorset and Nansledan in Cornwall.

As heir to the throne, William inherited the Duchy of Cornwall estate, a portfolio of land, property and investments valued at more than £1 billion, when his father became King.

Documents published before the meeting said: "The benefits of the scheme are, when taken together, substantial and wide ranging.

"In particular, the scheme performs well in respect of providing affordable homes, in addition to directing development to sustainable locations and securing well-designed places, which the NPPF (National Planning Policy Framework) requires particular regard to be given to.

"The harm that has been identified is significant but would not outweigh the benefits, let alone significantly and demonstrably outweigh them."

After the approval, executive director for development at the Duchy of Cornwall, Sam Kirkness, said: "This decision brings us closer to unlocking vital new housing to respond directly to Faversham's acute housing needs, as well as providing the infrastructure, green spaces and community facilities that local people in Faversham deserve.

"The Duchy of Cornwall has a fantastic track record of creating successful neighbourhoods that knit seamlessly into existing towns.

"We are using this experience to design a new neighbourhood for Faversham that would be among the most sustainable and environmentally friendly in the UK."