Prince William is reportedly being criticized by residents in a town set to be impacted by a new Duchy of Cornwall development. According to multiple reports, the Prince of Wales is "causing disruption" with his proposal, which will impact a large portion of land in the area.
It was previously reported that "a controversial 2,500-home development" in Faversham in Kent, England—on land owned by Prince William's Duchy of Cornwall—was "set to be approved." Now, individuals living near to the location of the proposed development are weighing in on the prince's plans.
One resident told GB News, "The decision wasn't much of a shock. Given the high profile of the applicant, who is going to deny a member of the Royal Family? So the plans were very much going to go ahead."
As for how the development will affect people living nearby, the resident shared, "It's going to have an impact on local people because we use these green spaces. Many people won't be able to walk their dogs in these areas, and it's the disruption it will cause, too."
The resident compared the new development to King Charles's Poundbury, a town created by the royal, which has faced criticism over the years.
"It's quite notorious that the duchy has a very slow build-out rate," they explained. "So we're going to have at least 30 years of [construction]. It's going to affect tourism, which is key for the town of Faversham."
According to the outlet, the resident said of the development, "It's outrageous!" They also called Prince William's decision to build on the land a "double standard" and a "contradiction," as he regularly promotes schemes calling for the protection of nature, GB News reported.
While being committed to the preservation of green spaces, Prince William has also pledged to work towards ending homelessness and "genuinely cares" about aiding unhoused individuals. It's fairly safe to assume that the new housing development might contribute to Prince William's mission to provide affordable housing for those who need it.
