What is the Duchy of Cornwall?

The Duchy of Cornwall covers 53,400 hectares of land across 23 counties, mostly in the South West of England. It comprises arable and livestock farms, residential and commercial properties, as well as forests, rivers, quarries, and coastline. The Prince of Wales is the current Duke of Cornwall and under his guidance, it is the Duchy’s responsibility to manage the overall estate in a way that is sustainable, financially viable and of meaningful value to local communities.

 What makes the Duchy of Cornwall’s plans different to the more mainstream housing developments?

The Duchy of Cornwall takes a land stewardship approach to building communities and feels a keen responsibility towards all the communities in which it holds an interest in. This means when a Local Plan making process considers allocating Duchy land for new development, our focus is on making sure we masterplan and build sustainable communities that meet local needs and enhance people’s quality of life. This process starts by asking local people what makes their homes and communities special, what is that character of place and what might be missing or improved, inviting people to get involved in shaping plans for their community at an early stage. 

 The Duchy follows the principles of urban design and architecture championed by HRH The Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall. This means creating a masterplan that responds to that local character of place, integrating a wide range of private, affordable and retirement homes for sale and rent, all within walking distance of shops, schools, businesses, leisure activities and health services. This idea of a high density, mixed use, walkable community means providing ample greenspace and access to countryside in urban extensions that are also well connected to existing high streets, communities and transport routes. 

Being a land steward dictates that we invest locally as part of our long term vision because it makes good business sense to own and operate land and property in a healthy, thriving community. 

In our two major urban extensions (Nansledan in Newquay and Poundbury in Dorchester) we aspire to provide one job for every home built. For example Poundbury has nearly 2,000 homes built and created around 2,300 jobs from 212 businesses, over half of which were created in Poundbury, and some of whom have grown into thriving businesses of international renown, such as Dorset Cereals and House of Dorchester chocolates 

We work with local privately owned SME housebuilders and construction firms who share our values and trade on their skills and reputation. Supporting small, independent businesses and local supply chains has a positive social impact and boosts the local economy. It also means that shipping costs are reduced, and carbon emissions lowered.    

The Duchy of Cornwall invests in building communities for the long term, leaving a legacy for future generations, and it does so because it makes good business sense to nurture such virtuous circles. Through carefully planning communities, you can help foster a strong sense of community. For example, by putting community allotments next to a children’s play area, school and retirement home, you encourage cross-generational engagement in green spaces – children learn about growing healthy food, and older people stay engaged with the next generation.

 What is a local plan?

Local plans set out a vision and a framework for the future development of an area, addressing the need and opportunities in relation to housing, the economy, community facilities and infrastructure, as well as a basis for safeguarding the environment, adapting to climate change, and securing good design. The Local Plan should aim to meet the objectively assessed development and infrastructure needs of the area. They are also a tool in guiding decisions about individual development proposals as they are the starting point for considering whether planning applications can be approved.

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) now requires councils to set a 30-year vision for towns where allocations are planned.

What stage is the Swale Borough Council Local Plan at?

The Council has been developing the current Local Plan since adopting the last LP in 2017, building an evidence base to establish what is needed and more recently allocating sites for development.

Due to recent changes in the National Planning Policy Framework and following the changing work patterns due to COVID-19 the Council has recently decided to carry out additional consultation on the Local Plan to ensure these issues are properly reflected. This consultation is due to take place in October 2021 and will last for four weeks.

The Council plans to hold two further stages of consultation before they submit its Plan for examination. Following this, an Independent Government Planning Inspector will hold a series of public hearings before making recommendations to the council in the second half of 2022.

You can find out more about the Council’s Local Plan consultation by contacting Swale Borough Council directly or by going on the Council’s website.   

How can I get involved in the Swale Borough Council Local Plan process?

There are lots of opportunities to have your say during the Council’s Local Plan process, notably through their consultation in October and by signing up for updates via the council website.  

What other developers and sites are being brought forward as part of the Local Plan Review?

Swale Borough Council is reviewing the adopted Local Plan to plan for housing, community facilities and workplaces to meet the needs of the borough to 2038. In the early stages of the Local Plan Review, Swale Borough Council identified the land at South East Faversham as a highly sustainable location for development for a minimum of 2,500 dwellings, together with workspace for around 2,500 jobs. Alongside neighbouring land parcels in different ownerships (land at Graveney Road, land at Lady Dane Farm, and land at Preston Fields), the South East Faversham allocation forms part of Swale’s planned wider East of Faversham extension.

As an individual landowner, the Duchy of Cornwall is not party to information about other sites and developers not already in the public domain

When and why did you buy the site?

The Duchy bought the Westwood Court Estate as part of a portfolio of agricultural land from the Prudential in 2000 which stretched from Kent to Herefordshire. Only relatively recently has it become apparent that Swale Borough Council needed strategic sites to meet local housing need in Faversham. This land is being made available to meet those local needs after various reports commissioned by Swale Borough Council deemed it to be the most sustainable location for an extension of the town. 

Are you bringing forward housing proposals in Faversham?

As a local landowner, the Duchy of Cornwall responded to Swale Borough Council’s invitation to put forward proposals for a New Garden Community in August 2018, as part of its Local Plan Review.  

In May 2018, the Duchy held a four day Enquiry by Design engagement process as a means to collaboratively develop a concept for a sustainable urban extension in South East Faversham. As a result of this process we have developed a masterplan based on the principles developed during that process which included:

 Our proposals will be for an integrated community which will feature homes and employment, sports and community facilities. We will ensure that any development we may bring forward will be right for Faversham, in-keeping with, and integrated into, the existing town.

 How many houses will you be proposing?

In accordance with the Swale Local Plan Review 2021 allocation the Duchy has drawn together an emerging masterplan to deliver 2,500 homes and an aspiration to provide for at least 2,500 jobs. The proposals are to bring forward a very high quality, sustainable, landscape-led, mixed-use settlement that will become a thriving new urban extension to the town.c56c37

If, through engaging with the community, they requested for you to lower housing numbers on your site would you listen? At what point would the development cease to be viable? 

Through the consultation in 2018 we established an early dialogue around the community’s aspirations for Faversham and for future growth of the town. The discussions helped us to establish a broad set of principles for development and a draft masterplan which would deliver a community of 2,500 homes in line with the emerging Local Plan.

This consultation is the opportunity to discuss what makes a good community, including which facilities are needed and how we can complement the town centre, as well as how this can be delivered as part of an extension to Faversham which meets the needs of the existing community and council.

If land is allocated, how quickly will you build out the site?

The Duchy recognises the pressure that the Council is under to deliver around 1,000 homes per year from 2022. Depending on when planning permission (rather than an allocation) is granted we anticipate building in or around 2025 at least120 homes per year. This is the pace that we have achieved at Poundbury and at Nansledan.

Will any of the housing be deemed as affordable?

Yes. All our developments offer a wide variety of house types and a mixture of affordable and private accommodation. Being a single landowner, the Duchy has the ability to ensure that they deliver affordable housing which is tenure blind and distributed throughout the development, helping to create a balanced and mixed community where people truly want to live.

Are there any plans for a community investment fund or any community initiatives?

We remain at an early stage and are unable to provide any specific information on a community investment fund.

However, the Duchy of Cornwall invests in communities for the long term, leaving a legacy which is able to thrive for generations. For every development brought forward, we work closely with communities to deliver initiatives to help foster community life.

For example, in Faversham we have been working with the cricket and football clubs to re-locate them into the heart of the site, creating new facilities which will ensure a sustainable future for both clubs.

Elsewhere, in Poundbury the Duchy has worked with Dorchester Town Council to provide community facilities including an amphitheatre, children’s play area, a pavilion, parkour equipment and woodland walk. Some of these facilities are in place and some are currently being delivered.

Will there be any local employment opportunities?

Yes. We invest locally and our developments seek to provide around one job for every household. We also support local firms to succeed. Dorset Cereal is an example of a business that started in one of our developments, Poundbury, and has grown into a thriving nationally renowned business.

We also always aim to use local construction firms to build out our developments. This supports small, independent businesses and helps to source local building materials. It also means that shipping costs are reduced, and carbon emissions lowered.

Will your plans include green space?

Yes. The masterplan includes broad areas of open space, including community gardens, allotments, orchards, parks and squares, as well as formal sports areas such as the cricket and football club which will have new facilities within the scheme. These are connected through an interlinking network of green pathways, corridors and wildlife routes.

As with all our developments, we also seek to maintain, enhance and supplement existing trees, flowers and hedgerows wherever possible and preserve all veteran trees on our sites. 

How are you responding to climate change?

HRH The Prince of Wales and the Duchy of Cornwall have long been concerned with the quality of the natural and built environment, urging a return to sustainable human-scale development that is land-efficient, uses low-carbon materials and is less car dependant.

The proposals for South East Faversham start from the earth up and represent the next step forward in climate aware development. To achieve a net zero sustainable new community at South East Faversham the Duchy has set out the following key principles that will underpin the design approach:

1.  A strategy based upon healthy soil, clean water and the creation of high-quality natural spaces.

2. A settlement laid out around tree lined streets, orchards, allotments, ponds, meadow and wooded rides

3. Reduce resource consumption by promoting sustainable energy sources alongside sustainable design.

4. The creation of a mixed-use settlement that reduces the need to travel and where travel is required promotes healthy and sustainable travel.

5. Foster a new community that is part of Faversham.

6. A beautiful new mixed-use community that will embody the essential qualities of Faversham.

What specific measures are you considering to address climate change?

The Proposed Development shall be fossil fuel free, utilising smart energy systems and renewable technologies which deliver a net zero balance in terms of operational energy consumption. The scheme also aims to understand and minimise its impacts in terms of Whole Life Carbon, which encompasses all carbon emissions that arise as a result of the energy used in the construction, operation, maintenance and demolition phases of the entire site’s lifecycle.

South East Faversham will follow the core principles set out within the LETI Climate Emergency Design Guide. This sets ambitious targets for all building types in order to help the UK to achieve its 2050 Net Zero target.

• Aim to be 100% powered by renewable energy, and achieve a level of energy performance in-use in line with national climate change targets

• Follow best practice targets for embodied carbon by responsible sourcing of materials with the ability to be disassembled at end of life

• Incorporate heat pump technologies to minimise carbon emissions, reduce energy bills and improve air quality in urban areas

• Integrate demand response and energy storage into the buildings to allow residents to be flexible with their demand on the grid.

 How will your proposals enhance the environment?

The proposals will bring about an environmental enhancement to the Site through a strategy based upon healthy soil, clean water and the creation of high-quality natural spaces for existing and future species to flourish. The design approach has also been mindful of the air quality and impacts of the M2 and A2 Canterbury Road.

 What about Air Quality?

The developing masterplan is mindful of the potential impact of the M2 and A2 Canterbury Road on the health and wellbeing of future residents of the Site. It is being designed such that new exposure to elevated levels of air pollution is not introduced. In addition, street trees are being selected based on their Urban Tree Air Quality Score (UTAQS) to ensure the air quality benefits of green infrastructure are realised across the Site. A detailed air quality assessment is being undertaken of the Site and Proposed Development with a particular focus on the nearby Ospringe Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) to ensure any potential adverse impacts will be appropriately mitigated and to protect the health of nearby residents and neighbours of the Site.

Won’t all the new houses result in traffic problems?

As a developer, the Duchy of Cornwall places a large emphasis on ensuring that our communities are fully integrated with existing ones and that supporting infrastructure is in place, be it roads, public transport, cycle and foot paths.

The emerging masterplan is designed around the principle of building communities and enabling healthy and sustainable travel. 

Kent County Council is undertaking area wide strategic traffic modelling of Swale. We will continue to work with Kent and with Highways England to develop further modelling and through working with these and other stakeholders, a thorough and extensive assessment of local transport infrastructure will be brought forwards to support a future planning application.

What about M2 Junction 6 and 7?

The need for an improvement scheme at M2 Brenley Corner (junction 7) is well established and is an important consideration for any future growth in Swale, north Kent more generally, and for access to the Port of Dover. The Duchy is already engaging with Kent County Council and Highways England and is committed to working closely with them in future to understand how and when a scheme to resolve nationally significant issues will be delivered.

The A2 Canterbury Road is so busy.

The A2 Canterbury Road on the northern edge of the Site creates a barrier for pedestrians and cyclists due to the high traffic speeds. The Duchy will work closely with Kent County Council, Highways England and others on proposals to ‘upgrade’ this road to create a high-quality street that connects Faversham to the land to the south of the town, slows traffic and allows people to cross on foot and by cycle.

What impact will construction work have on local people? With construction so far down the line, we have not yet given consideration to the specific impact it could have on local people. We do, however, appreciate that any construction project comes with an inherent level of disruption and will work closely with the contractors, council and the local community to minimise disruption as much as possible.

The site is currently Grade I agricultural land, what are your views on removing high quality farming land to make way for development?

As a rural landowner, the Duchy of Cornwall generally protects and enhances its farmland, working with farmers across the country, and making a significant contribution to the UK’s agriculture.

However, development is often about finding a balance, and while Kent is abundant in high-quality farmland, new housing in Swale is urgently needed.

The Duchy of Cornwall is responding to Swale Borough Council’s invitation to put forward proposals for New Garden Communities, as our land has been recognised as a potential option to help deliver much needed housing and facilities. 

Facts and figures: Grade 1 58%, Grade 2 12%, Grade 3a and 3b 19% (as assessed independent land classification survey commissioned by the Duchy of Cornwall in 2016)

You are proposing to build on a greenfield site?

The site largely comprises Best and Most Versatile agricultural land: Grade 1 58%, Grade 2 12%, Grade 3a and 3b 19%. It is not Greenbelt.

As a rural landowner, the Duchy of Cornwall generally protects and enhances its farmland, working with farmers across the country, and making a significant contribution to the UK’s agriculture.

However, development is often about finding a balance and meeting housing need in the most sustainable locations for growth. While Kent is abundant in high-quality farmland, new housing in Swale is urgently needed.

Reports prepared for Swale Borough Council and put before the Local Plan Review Panel have stated that the land at South East Faversham is the most sustainable and deliverable location for meeting housing need.

Facts and figures: Grade 1 58%, Grade 2 12%, Grade 3a and 3b 19% (as assessed independent land classification survey commissioned by the Duchy of Cornwall in 2016)

What impact will such a large development, with so many new residents, have on local facilities?

The Duchy will bring forward a sustainable development in its broadest sense, providing environmental, social and economic benefits.

The primary purpose of delivering a development on our site in Faversham is to meet local needs. The public engagement sessions in 2018 helped us to identify and understand what those needs are and have helped the Duchy better understand how these needs can be met through a development on our site.

Any development we bring forward for Faversham, will not only comprise of housing, but will include employment opportunities, around one job per household, a mix of facilities including shops, offices, community space, sports facilities and services. The relationship to the existing town is very important to a successful urban extension, and we will ensure that any development brought forward will be seamlessly integrated with Faversham.   

Would you work with a Community Land Trust to bring forward a development?

There is usually no requirement for the Duchy of Cornwall to work with Community Land Trusts as part of our new developments, as we are able to deliver large portions of affordable and social housing on site.

This is possible because the Duchy of Cornwall is a sole landowner, so we deliver all the benefits of a Community Land Trust without the uncertainty over funding.

We understand that it is often not possible for other developers to deliver high-quality affordable housing on site and in great numbers. We support Community Land Trusts in these instances and encourage them as a means of empowering communities.

What engagement or consultation are you undertaking now?

The Duchy undertook a four day Enquiry by Design engagement process in 2018 to help shape a masterplan rooted in the aspirations of local people for their community. After further design work, investigations and engagement with various stakeholders the Duchy has refined its masterplan and invited feedback on refined proposals at a Drop In consultation event.

Two events were held in September with more to follow over the coming months:

·       7.30pm 29^th September – Public Meeting at St Mary of Charity Church, Faversham organised by the Faversham Society

·       12pm -7.30pm 30^th September – Drop In public consultation event at The Assembly Rooms, Faversham

The Duchy or Cornwall’s design team attended the events to discuss the proposals with local people and stakeholders.

How are you publicising the events?

To publicise the upcoming events, we have:

·   Sent letters to more than 1,800 properties, including key stakeholders/community groups, local businesses and nearest neighbours of the site

·   Issued a press release to local media

·   Placed posters around Faversham

·   Worked with the Faversham Society

·   We have created a bespoke website for the project

Will there be any further rounds of engagement in the future?

The Duchy undertook a four day Enquiry by Design engagement process in 2018 to inform the principles of the proposals and is now back to discuss the emerging masterplan.

There will be further rounds of consultation in the next few months to see and discuss the next iteration of the masterplan as it evolves.

How can I get involved if I am unable to attend the exhibition sessions?

If you were unable to attend any of the events, there are plenty of ways to get involved. You can contact us directly by phone from Monday to Friday between 9am and 5.30pm, where you can get through to a member of our project team to find out more about the proposals provide feedback.

You can also visit our website www.sefaversham.co.uk to find copies of the exhibition boards and other information about the proposals, alongside ways to feedback.

Alternatively, please contact the project team and request a feedback form which can be sent via email or post. You can send it back to us Freepost on a blank envelope (you won’t need a stamp) or you can email it back. Your views are very important to us.   

Phone: 07862 009 783

Email: [email protected]

Post: Freepost Middlemarch Consultation (no further address details or stamp required)

How can I get involved if I am unable to attend the workshops? (key political/community stakeholders)

If you are unable to attend any of the events there are plenty of ways to get involved. We would be more than happy to organise an individual meeting with you, so please let us know and we can get a date in the diary. 

You can also visit our website www.sefaversham.co.uk to find copies of the exhibition boards and other information about the proposals, alongside ways to feedback. Alternatively, please contact the project team and request a feedback form which can be sent via email or post. You can send it back to us Freepost on a blank envelope (you won’t need a stamp) or you can email it back. Your views are very important to us.  

Phone: 07862 009 783

Email: [email protected]

Post: Freepost Middlemarch Consultation (no further address details or stamp required)

The Local Plan Review consultation has been delayed to October. Isn’t it all a little bit presumptuous to be out talking to the community now?

We believe that community engagement can help us to better understand residents aspirations for their area. As a result, we undertook a four day Enquiry by Design process in 2018 and are now back to discuss the masterplan which has been developed using the principles developed as part of that process.

Following the council’s own studies, the site has now been given a draft allocation in the emerging Swale Local Plan for 2,500 homes, over the next 15 years. While the Local Plan has yet to be confirmed, we continue to believe that we should be engaging with local people at this stage to improve the masterplan and meets local needs.

I heard that you have already met with tenants on your site, the Leader of the Council and the Town Council to talk about development plans. It sounds like you’re in further stages of the process than you are alluding to now.

As part of responding to Swale Borough Council’s invitation to put forward proposals for New Garden Communities, we thought it prudent, transparent and the right thing to do, to directly inform certain stakeholders on a face-to-face basis. These included key political stakeholders and tenants.

We ensured that planning officers at Swale Borough Council were informed in advance and have adhered to all protocols.

The Duchy of Cornwall is an open and honest landowner. Should our site come forward as an option in the Draft Local Plan, we want to work with local stakeholders and communities, build trust and reach agreed design and planning solutions, creating a development right for Faversham.   

If the community doesn’t want a development at all, will you pursue a planning application?

The council has recognised the need for new homes and facilities in Swale and has made a draft recommendation that South East Faversham is one of the most appropriate locations in the borough to provide these.

The Duchy of Cornwall always puts communities at the heart of any new development it brings forward. We look at new proposals holistically and weigh up the impacts against the long-term benefits. We know that there is demand to provide housing in the area in order to accommodate and future-proof the needs of the town. We are here this evening to talk about how you can influence the masterplan for the site.

This is one step in a longer engagement process, with further opportunities to discuss the proposals with us as they evolve and as we develop the concept into a planning application.