The project team behind a bid for a 2,500-home estate on land owned by Prince William claims talk of a local revolt against the plans has been exaggerated.

The Duchy of Cornwall - a vast property portfolio headed by the future king - wants to build the sprawling development between the M2 and A2 at Faversham.

Its scheme - officially submitted to Swale Borough Council in March - has already sparked a number of objections, with the concerns of locals even attracting the interest of the national press.

A headline in The Times read ‘Medieval market town revolts over royal plans to develop farmland’, while The Express ran with ‘Prince William's plans for 'garden city' could lead to 'permanent gridlock' for locals’.

But those behind the development say the Duchy’s royal connections make it an “easy target”, arguing about 40 objections so far to such a large scheme could actually be considered a “success”.

In an interview with industry publication Building Design, the Duchy’s estates director, Ben Murphy, said: “It’s fascinating how misread this has been.

“A 2,500-home urban extension of a beautiful, historic ancient town that everyone loves…and it’s only got 40 objections, despite it being in the national press for two weeks?”

“I don’t mean to say, ‘let’s get the violin out for the Duchy of Cornwall’, but partly it’s because of who we are, I think. Obviously we work for someone that’s high profile, so it’s easy to get in the press, if you want to talk about us and our scheme.”

In the same article, the landscape designer for the Faversham scheme, Kim Wilkie, says the site of the proposed development is “one of the most logical sites to put houses on”.

“The Duchy could not have gone to greater lengths with both people in Faversham and with the press to explain what’s happening and why,” he told Building Design.

The proposed homes have been designed by Ben Pentreath, the man behind the Duchy’s Poundbury development in Dorchester, which many have celebrated as an example of how to sensitively extend a historic town.

On the Faversham scheme, Mr Pentreath said: “Genuinely, the project is fantastic. It’s completely amazing.

“It’s a perfect model of what bringing development to a threatened town like Faversham should be about – which is why there are a lot of people in Faversham who are very supportive and very aware of how much trouble and effort the Duchy has gone to.”

But while there is undoubtedly support for the scheme, there is a swell of vocal and committed opposition that shows no sign of abating.

Protesters have raised money to print 14,000 flyers to post to every house in Faversham and the surrounding villages, ensuring all locals are “fully informed” about what they say will be a disastrous scheme.

They claim it will see 320 acres of high-grade farmland concreted over, while creating traffic chaos and air pollution, and putting extra strain on services such as GP care.

The campaign group Farms, Fields and Fresh Air is leading the opposition and has raised more than £1,000 through a JustGiving page to pay for the flyers, which they say will be put through every letterbox in Faversham, Boughton, Dunkirk, Selling, Sheldwich, Graveney and Goodnestone.

“We need to make sure everyone is aware of what the real negative impact of this development will be, because many aren’t,” said campaign spokesman Carol Smith.

Last night, Faversham Town Council’s planning committee voted to object to the scheme.

The hugely controversial scheme was originally put forward when King Charles was the Duke of Cornwall after the land off Selling Road near Brenley Corner was bought in 1999. Now Prince William has taken over the Duchy.

The Duchy argues the scheme will address the housing shortage in the area and create one of the most environmentally-friendly “net zero” neighbourhoods in the UK, while “complementing the unique historic character and identity of Faversham”.

It claims the development will generate at least 20% fewer car trips compared to estates of a similar size by encouraging public transport use and active travel.

A spokesman added: “The development will prioritise access to green spaces, sustainable transport and will focus on the community's needs – including affordable housing and a new primary school as well as new traffic infrastructure and healthcare services."

The full application for the first phase of 261 homes, which has a vast 461 documents to be scrutinised, is currently out for consultation.

It has already attracted a number of unfavourable comments from members of the public, with many concerned about the impact on surrounding roads.

Louise Moon wrote: “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.”

Nikki Willmott added: “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.

“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.”

The application and feedback will be assessed by SBC before coming to its planning committee for consideration in the near future.

But campaigners say the borough is already burdened by excessive government targets for new housing, with 1,850 homes granted planning permission and being built around Faversham over the last few years.

“The land the Duchy wants to develop will represent the loss of a last ‘green lung’ around this small, rural, historic, market town and is of vital importance to nature,” said Mrs Smith.

“The loss of 320 acres of the best graded agricultural land taken out of use, by Prince William’s The Duchy of Cornwall, will also negatively affect UK homegrown future food security.

“We live in a water-scarce area, with our wildlife and rare chalk streams suffering, due to growing pressures on the water supply.”