News
HRH leads a group of international delegates around Poundbury
2nd May 2008
The Prince of Wales led a group of international delegates around Poundbury in Dorset today.
The urban extension of Poundbury, built on Duchy of Cornwall land near Dorchester, is based on the thoughtful principles of urban design detailed in The Prince's book on architecture, A Vision of Britain.
A 25-year project, Poundbury is a striking example of a sustainable community designed to put the needs of people before cars.
The Prince told his guests, who included Tory MP Iain Duncan Smith and Luxembourg ambassador Hubert Worth, about the "enormous" housing pressures across the UK and the world and how to achieve density without sacrificing beauty.
The Prince said it was the 21st anniversary of the original five day planning consultation about developing the site, an urban extension to Dorchester built on Duchy of Cornwall land.
His Royal Highness told the group, which also included Northern Ireland Minister for Social Development Margaret Ritchie and MP for Truro Matthew Taylor, that he stood at nearby Maiden Castle, looked back at his land and knew he wanted to create something beautiful.
"This is about reducing the dependence on cars and putting the pedestrian at the centre of community development," he said.
The Prince then led a tour around Poundbury and stopped to chat with a few of the locals en-route.
Stacey Brook, who has lived in Poundbury for three years, said: "He asked if I shop locally and he asked if it was nice living in Poundbury and I said, 'Of course'."
The 32-year-old support worker bought her house through a shared equity scheme and added: "I couldn't get on the housing ladder, I kept trying, so I am delighted to be here."
The Prince then met some of his green fingered residents as they tended their allotments.
Mike Newby, Chair of the Poundbury Gardening Society, said: "They turned our last gardens into a car park so The Prince kindly leased us this site."
The society has been developing the site, which is the size of a football pitch and contains 48 plots, for three years and rents the land from the Duchy.
Mr Newby spoke to The Prince during the visit. He added: "The Prince said he was delighted with the produce here.
“The ground is so good having had sheep on it for 300 years which he knew before he even considered the site."
The Prince then donned a hard hat to look at development of 53 dwellings and commercial premises with his guests.
Poundbury is expected to be fully completed by 2025 housing around 5,000 with 2,000 jobs in the factories, offices and general facilities across the site.