Now it’s Prince William’s turn to shape British town planning

Now it is the turn of Charles’s son. By contrast to his father, Prince William has said little of note about architecture or planning, or indeed anything at all. But as first in line to the throne he is the Duke of Cornwall, which means he oversees 52,449 hectares of land. In one plot far from Cornwall, on the edge of Faversham in Kent, the duchy is seeking permission to build thousands of homes. If the local council agrees, it may affect the whole country. The Duchy of Cornwall draws attention, partly because of its royal sheen and partly because it can build more lavishly and slowly than a commercial outfit. What it builds today, other British developers have a habit of building tomorrow.