Official plans for Prince William’s sprawling estate in Kent reveal the 2,500-home development could include a primary school, cricket ground and hotel.

A highly-anticipated blueprint for the Duchy of Cornwall’s proposals to create the massive housing project next to Brenley Corner in Faversham has finally surfaced.

The royal landowners claim its state-of-the-art battery-powered homes and eco-focused green credentials will produce zero emissions.

The scheme's full extent recently came to light on Swale Borough Council’s planning portal, having been submitted in December.

If the local authority approves the ambitious scheme it will take about 20 years to build, delivering up to 150 homes each year.

In total, the estate will span 135 hectares – the size of almost 100 football pitches.

Plans include at least 875 affordable homes - in line with housing policy requirements - and at least 400 will be socially rented homes.

Sustainability and fewer car trips

But just days after details of the project were published in a colossal 350-page bundle, some residents had already moved to lodge concerns.

Named South East Faversham, the Duchy says the project will deliver a walkable community and become a “destination for employment and leisure activity”.

“This will be a sustainable development with a focus on reducing energy usage and improving biodiversity and water resources within the site,” the developers state.

“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, headed by Prince William, claims the development will generate at least 20% fewer car trips compared to estates of a similar size.

It encourages public transport use and active travel while minimising private car usage.

There are plans for more bus stops along the A2 and a “flexible parking strategy”, where the number of spaces could be reduced or converted for other uses should car ownership decrease over time.

New school while Faversham Town FC’s ground could move

The Duchy acquired the sprawling plot sandwiched between the M2 and A2 about 20 years ago and has been in public consultation for five years.

The masterplan was unveiled in response to a call from SBC to landowners for potential housing sites back in 2018.

The proposed new homes stretch from Salters Lane to the Brenley Corner junction.

Documents reveal there are several agricultural buildings and four homes at Macknade Farm, with caravans providing accommodation for seasonal agricultural workers.

Developers say more than half of the land will be green space, including public parks, wildflower meadows, community orchards, woodlands, and allotments.

The proposals will relocate the training pitch for Faversham Town FC and Faversham Cricket Club’s ground to the site, which the Duchy argues will “improve” them both.

There will be multiple vehicle access points, including two in Salters Lane, one in Love Lane and five on the A2 - as well as upgrading an existing one along the busy stretch.

Three public rights of way run through the site, which the Duchy says will be retained or enhanced.

But it says certain stretches will require “localised diversion or will be replaced with footways adjacent to roads”.

The Duchy has applied for full planning permission for the first phase of the proposed development, which includes 261 homes.

Additionally, more than 3,000 sqm of commercial floor space will be built near the A2, a water recycling centre and more than four hectares of open space.

It has also submitted outline planning permission for the remaining phases of the scheme.

The water recycling centre, based near Brenley Corner, will treat foul water before it is reused across the site.

Plans include a three-form entry primary school in the centre of the development, with a capacity for 630 pupils.

Self-sufficient solar power

Developers hope to build older persons’ care accommodation on site but the precise location, scale and type of living facilities will be confirmed later on in the planning stage.

The application states: “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.

Outline permission is also sought for hotel provision, but this is subject to more detailed proposals.

Each home will have secure cycle storage and the ability to connect to an electric vehicle charging point, according to the plans.

The Duchy claims a ‘smart grid’ will allow for the sustainable production, storage and consumption of electricity on site.

Electricity is provided either via the grid or directly via onsite renewable energy generators, mainly from solar panels which will be positioned on all suitable buildings.

Multiple microgrids will be dotted across the site, each working for 300 homes.

At the centre of the microgrid is a battery and emergency distribution hub.

All solar panels will feed into this hub rather than the separate houses they are positioned on, with energy distributed across the homes where needed.

Infrastructure fears

Concerns have already been raised about the impact the development could have on the already busy roads in the area.

Boughton resident and filmmaker Peter Williams 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.”

Commenting on the planning portal, Nikki Willmott 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 echoed these concerns about traffic and 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.”