Inside Prince William’s new sprawling 135-hectare estate with cricket ground & hotel – and it’ll take 20 years to build
PRINCE William’s plans for a new 135-hectare estate complete with a cricket ground and hotel have been revealed – and it will take 20 years to build.
The blueprints for the Duchy of Cornwall’s massive housing project which will see 2,500 homes built, have finally emerged.
The proposed site is next to Brenley Corner in Faversham, Kent, with the development boasting state-of-the-art eco-friendly technology, such as battery-powered homes.
Detail of the proposed scheme came to light on Swale Borough Council’s planning portal, having been submitted in December.
Should the plans get the green light from the council it will take around 20 years to complete with some 150 homes built each year.
AFFORDABLE HOMES
Plans for the 135-hectare site include at least 875 affordable homes, in line with housing policy requirements, with at least 400 earmarked as socially rented homes.
The Duchy says the project, named South East Faversham, will deliver a walkable community and become a “destination for employment and leisure activity”.
The developers say: “This will be a sustainable development with a focus on reducing energy usage and improving biodiversity and water resources within the site.
“Whether it is the micro energy grids used to reduce overall energy consumption or the materials the buildings are built from, every part of the scheme looks to reduce its carbon footprint and ultimately aim to be a net-zero carbon neighbourhood.
“The proposal’s design will be completely at home in its context and surroundings.
“Every building within the site has been designed using existing Faversham and surrounding precedents as a guide.
“This will be a place that residents feel proud to live in and will form a strong sense of place, character and community.”
The Duchy, which is headed by Prince William, boasts the development will reduce car trips by 20 per cent, compared to similar-sized estates.
Use of public transport is encouraged, along with active travel, while minimising private car use.
The plans also include the proposal to add more bus stops along the A2 as well as a “flexible parking strategy” which could see the number of spaces provided put to other uses, should the number of cars owned fall over time.
The plot of land, situated between the M2 and A2, was bought by the Duchy about 20 years ago and has been in public consultation for five years.
Plans were unveiled in response to a call from SBC to landowners for potential housing sites back in 2018, reports KentOnline.
The documents show there are a number of agricultural buildings and four homes at Macknade Farm, along with caravans set up to provide accommodation for seasonal agricultural workers.
GREEN SPACE
More than half the land will be green space, including public parks, wildflower meadows, community orchards, woodlands and allotments.
The proposals will also see Faversham Town FC’s training pitch and the town’s cricket club’s ground both moved to the site, which the Duchy says will “improve” both.
There will also be several vehicle access points, including five on the A2 as well as an existing one being upgraded along the busy road.
The Duchy says the three public rights of way which run through the site will be retained or enhanced.
But in some stretches, it will require “localised diversion or will be replaced with footways adjacent to roads”.
The developers have applied for full planning permission for the first phase of the plans, which will include 261 homes being built.
Outline plans for the remaining phases have also been submitted.
The proposal also includes plans for a water recycling centre based near Brenley Corner, which will treat foul water before being used across the site.
PRIMARY SCHOOL
A three-form entry primary school in the centre of the development is also planned, with the capacity for 630 pupils.
It is also hoped older persons’ care accommodation will also be built but precise details of the location, scale and type of living facilities will be confirmed at a later stage.
The application said: “Market conditions will change over time and lessons will be learnt as development proceeds.
“Hence, whilst the essential features of later phases can be specified at this stage, the detail will follow shortly before each phase is brought forward for development.”
Provision for a hotel has also been outlined in the plans, but this is subject to more detailed proposals.
ECO-CREDENTIALS
The site’s eco-credentials are also highlighted, with each home coming with a secure cycle storage space and the ability to connect to an electric vehicle charging point.
Meanwhile, a “smart grid” will provide sustainable production, storage and consumption of electricity on site, the plans say.
Electricity will be provided either via the grid or directly via onsite renewable energy generators, mainly from solar panels which will be positioned on all suitable buildings.
The site will also feature a number of microgrids, each working for 300 homes.
At the centre of the microgrid is a battery and emergency distribution hub.
The solar panels will feed into a hub, rather than separate houses, with energy distributed across the homes where required.
CONCERNS RAISED
Concerns though have already been raised about the possible impact the development could have on the already busy roads in the area.
Filmmaker Peter Williams, who lives in Boughton, said: “The Duchy development runs from Faversham through the land within the parishes of Boughton and Selling, ending beside one of the most dangerous traffic blackspots on the M2 at Brenley Corner.
“Seldom a week goes by without an accident on this roundabout.”
Nikki Willmott, commenting on the planning portal, said: “Brenley Corner is always congested with the volume of cars and lorries already using the roads.
“If this is agreed, country villages will be a thing of the past.
“Not to mention Operation Brock, when this is put in place, this has an impact on Brenley Corner.
“Public transport is another issue as buses and trains are unreliable and expensive.
“This will result in more cars on the road. We are always complaining about the bus service.”
Louise Moon said: “The infrastructure in and around Faversham is not able to take yet more houses.
“Our roads are becoming gridlocked due to the amount of development going on and this will just add more traffic.
“This will cause yet more pollution for Faversham – as with other developments – it is on the outskirts of town and people will not walk, they will use their cars.”
The plans come after a royal author claimed William has the “weight of the world on his shoulders” and is said to have asked when Kate’s trolling will stop.
Conspiracy cranks and shameful gossips have peddled wild nonsense about Kate’s whereabouts and condition since an abdominal operation on January 16.
The Prince and Princess of Wales are said to be “shaken” by the unfair and cruel speculation, which has included the state of their marriage.
William has continued to carry out engagements while Princess Kate has been recovering, including a housing initiative in Sheffield on Tuesday.
News has also broken about staff at The London Clinic allegedly accessing Kate’s private health data.
It comes as the dad who filmed Kate shopping with William has told conspiracy theorist trolls: “What more do you need to lay off her?”