A site has been proposed for a garden village of 5,000 homes just south of Faversham.

The 319-hectare plot of land at Ashford Road, stretching from the M2 to Sheldwich, is one of four in Swale being considered for major development in order to meet housing targets.

A second site in Faversham is also under consideration, consisting of 131 hectares of land belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall’s royal estate in Selling Road between the A2 and the M2, which would include 2,500 homes.

The two adjoining ‘villages’ have been put forward following Swale Borough Council’s call to landowners for sites which could accommodate 2,500 or more dwellings, as it reviews its local plan against a backdrop of widely expected increases to government housing targets.

Harold Goodwin, chairman of the Faversham Society, says building thousands of new homes south of the A2 would risk creating an “urban extension” of Faversham rather than new, stand-alone villages.

“We are talking about a major urban extension. Given there’s no green space between [the developments], this will effectively be an extension of Faversham,” he said.

“If such a development were allowed to go ahead, it would fundamentally change the character of Faversham.

“If it’s 5,000 homes, and you add 2,500 from the Duchy of Cornwall, and allow two people per household, that would almost double the population.

“You’re looking at an additional 15,000 people, which raises all the infrastructure questions people have been concerned about for a while.”

In addition to new dwellings, which would have a “strong emphasis” on affordable housing, although no specified percentage, the Ashford Road development could also include a High Street, market hall, and a new primary and secondary school.

A re-alignment of the A251 has been earmarked, in addition to upgrades to Junction 6 of the M2.

A community orchard, playing fields, allotments and open space and woodland have also been proposed.

Sites have also been put forward for 11,500 new homes in a proposed ‘village’ to the south-east of Sittingbourne, and a further 2,500 at Bobbing.

A spokesman for Swale Borough Council says members will be receiving a briefing on the potential sites on October 16.

“We’re working hard to make sure the next local plan can be adopted in 2022, and we want to establish early on whether it’s feasible for it to rely on new garden settlements, and if so, where.

“At the first stage earlier this year, we asked for expressions of interest to show where development might possibly take place, land ownership arrangements and a general outline description of what is proposed.

“These submissions are now in, and we’re currently discussing the proposals, but nothing at all has been decided yet - we are still in the very early stages of the process, and have to gather and thoroughly examine a lot of evidence before we put together an issues and options document which we will consult on next year.”

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