The Prince of Wales has been criticised by tenants living on his Duchy of Cornwall land for not dismissing council proposals that could see thousands of homes built around their picturesque village.
The residents from Newton St Loe are protesting about submissions to create an urban extension east of Bath as part of local authority plans to fulfill Government targets for new homes.
Bath and North East Somerset Council is consulting on the idea of building 2,000 homes near the village out of a total of 15,500 properties earmarked for its area over the coming decades.
Jane Giddins, chairman of the local parish council, is opposed any development and told the Guardian newspaper: "There are people in the village who feel let down by the Duchy's position.
"They could have said this plan to extend Bath on a greenfield site is wrong."
The Newton St Loe Conservation Group is also said to be against the proposals and resident Audrey Pawson, 87, told the newspaper "We can't believe Prince Charles would even think about this plan for more than two minutes."
Many of the villagers are tenants of the Duchy - a private estate that funds the private and public activities of the prince.
A Duchy of Cornwall spokeswoman stressed the plans were the council's and not proposed by the estate.
She added: "A large proportion of the land around Bath is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall.
"Bath and North East Somerset Council have identified some of that land as an area suitable for an urban extension to meet their housing needs and the needs of the community.
"The Duchy as the landowner has to consider these needs very seriously and is working with the council to ensure the development is sustainable. Of course the views of the local residents are taken into account during the consultation process."
The proposals for the area around the village are included in the council's 'Core Strategy' which sets out options for the broad locations for the new developments.
Residents and other interested bodies and organisations are being consulted on the plans.
The council said in a statement: "It is the principle of development in this location that is currently being discussed rather than any detailed proposals.
"Once the broad location of development has been agreed, a clear location for an urban extension and the requirements needed to bring forward a high quality sustainable development, will be identified for public consultation in the draft Core Strategy due for publication at the end of 2010.
"The Council has undertaken background work in terms of landscape, ecology, archaeological studies to inform the process so far.