Swale Borough Council has granted planning permission for the initial phase of Prince William's Duchy of Cornwall housing scheme in Faversham, Kent, following a vote of 11 to five on Tuesday evening.
The approval covers 261 homes on farmland at South East Faversham, with 35 per cent designated as affordable housing, alongside a local centre and green spaces.
The decision came despite significant local opposition, with 467 objections lodged against the proposals.
Residents cited concerns ranging from increased traffic congestion to the destruction of high-quality agricultural land, potential damage to wildlife habitats, and threats to the area's heritage and character.
Prince William housing scheme approved despite 467 objections: 'An eyesore!'
|GETTY / DUCHY OF CORNWALL
Just 12 letters were submitted in support, praising the design standards and sustainable community vision.
Parish council representatives voiced strong criticism during the planning committee meeting.
Sarah Moakes from Boughton Under Blean Parish Council argued that the level of opposition was "hardly a ringing endorsement" and warned that the development fails to blend with its rural surroundings.
"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.
Just 12 letters were submitted in support, praising the design standards and sustainable community vision
|DUCHY OF CORNWALL
Jonnie Reeves, representing Selling Parish Council, was equally critical of the proposals.
"This is an eyesore. It is too big. It is out of scale. It will cause massive traffic congestion," he told councillors.
Both speakers highlighted concerns about the broader implications of approving the first phase of what will eventually become a 2,500-home neighbourhood.
However, supporters argued the development would address critical housing shortages in the area.
Prince William is the current Duke of Cornwall | PAHarold Goodwin, chairman of Faversham Community Land Trust, urged councillors to back the Prince of Wales's social housing plans, describing them as "superior" to other developers' offerings.
"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," he said.
Roger Hepher, planning adviser for the Duchy of Cornwall, told the committee that Swale is a "long way short" of meeting its five-year housing land supply requirements and that delivering affordable homes has proved "very difficult".
He emphasised that the scheme aims to create a community "loved by the residents of Faversham" through sensitive design responding to local needs.
Prince William inherited the Duchy of Cornwall when he became Prince of Wales
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The complete development masterplan encompasses 2,500 homes, of which more than 890 would be classified as affordable through a combination of shared ownership, social rent and affordable rent options.
Beyond housing, the neighbourhood will feature a new primary school, health centre, enhanced transport connections for buses, cyclists and pedestrians, and renewable energy infrastructure.
Construction on the first phase is expected to commence in 2027/28.
Sam Kirkness, executive director for development at the Duchy of Cornwall, welcomed the decision, stating it "brings us closer to unlocking vital new housing to respond directly to Faversham's acute housing needs".
He added the Duchy intends to create a neighbourhood "among the most sustainable and environmentally friendly in the UK", drawing on experience from existing projects at Poundbury in Dorset and Nansledan in Cornwall.