Prince Charles’ estate is set to unveil new plans to build 2,500 homes, following the Prince of Wales’ calls for a “sustainable human-scale development”.
The estate is ready to reveal to developers and locals its plans for a huge housing development in the Faversham countryside. The Duchy owns 320 acres of land in the southeast area of the town, running up to the M2 and the Brenley Corner junction.
The plans are set to be revealed and discussed at a town meeting taking place next Wednesday and also at a drop-in consultation next Thursday between 12pm and 7.30pm.
Despite the future King being known for his ‘green credentials’, the plans have been devised after the area had been singled out as a potential location for housing development in 2018.
The presentation to the plan shared on the website of the Faversham Society, states “The proposed new neighbourhood at South East Faversham starts from the earth up. It has been designed around soil, water and the centuries-old, local pattern of human relationship with the land. Avenues, orchards, allotments, meadows and wooded rides will link the houses together in a shaded, green framework”. Typical developer speak then!
The statement also explains that these plans are being unveiled “following the announcement of the draft allocation in the emerging Swale Local Plan for 2,500 homes and an aspiration to provide for 2,500 jobs, which sets out how local housing and infrastructure needs are going to be met over the next 15 years”.
Society chairman Harold Goodwin said “I would urge anybody who is interested and looking for answers about the future of housing in Faversham to come along. We wrote to four developers but only the Duchy has said it is coming. The invitation remains open for the others, but it is a matter of very great regret they have not responded.”
The initial reaction from locals is an overriding feeling of rejection against further development in the area.
One said “more green belt between towns and villages will be lost. One large mass of ground cover over the whole of the south east. It will become all part of Greater London if planners carry on”.
Another added “Madness. If anything happens on the bypass the village is jammed for hours – because that’s the only route from Dunkirk to Faversham.”
