South-East Faversham

Kent
for The Duchy of Cornwall,
2020 -

The new settlement at Faversham starts from the earth up. Working with Ben Pentreath, Kim has designed the masterplan around soil, water and the centuries-old, local pattern of human relationship with the land. Avenues, orchards, allotments, meadows and wooded rides will link the houses together in a shaded, green framework. Tree roots will be free to connect through a continuous microbially rich soil and surface water will be returned to the chalk aquifer. The air will be filtered by the canopies of leaves and the microclimate will be sheltered by interweaving earthworks and vegetation.

A simple grid of tree-lined streets will open south from the Roman Watling Street (A2 Canterbury Road) and frame a central green with a cricket pitch and pub. Ancient drove way diagonals will cut across the grid to provide intimate pedestrian paths lined by gardens, orchards and allotments. Footpaths, cycle ways and flowing open spaces will connect houses, workplaces and shops, crossing the railway with a new bridge to the east and aligning with old pedestrian routes through to the centre of Faversham to the north.

This will be a settlement that is based on healthy soils, clean water, resilient vegetation, thriving local wildlife and a naturally cohesive community. It will show how to live on the land beyond net zero.