King Charles’s flagship urban development in Dorset, once envisioned as a harmonious blend of private and social housing alongside independent retailers and essential services, is facing mounting criticism from those who call it home.
Poundbury, constructed on land belonging to the Duchy of Cornwall near Dorchester, has expanded significantly since the late 1980s when the then-Prince of Wales first championed the project.
Yet residents are now voicing concerns that the development has deteriorated since Charles ascended to the throne, with some alleging that Prince William, who inherited the Duchy upon his father’s Coronation, has shown little enthusiasm for maintaining his predecessor’s pet project.
The town, featuring neo-Classical apartment buildings, Georgian-inspired houses and Victorian-style red brick warehouses, is scheduled for completion next year.
King Charles’s flagship urban development in Dorset, once envisioned as a harmonious blend of private and social housing alongside independent retailers and essential services, is facing mounting criticism from those who call it home.
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Margaret and Roy Hendy, who have resided in Dorchester for 15 years, directed their frustration squarely at the royal estate.
“This place is bloody awful now. This was Charles’s baby but he doesn’t have time to look after it and William doesn’t want to know,” said Mrs Hendy, a former accountant.
She added: “If we could move out tomorrow, we could, but we are getting too old to do that.”
Her husband Roy, who previously worked as an aircraft engineer, catalogued the visible signs of neglect plaguing the development.
“The leaves are piling up, the grass isn’t cut and the windows are falling apart,” Mr Hendy said.
“All I would ask is that they just take care of it.”
Residents are now voicing concerns that the development has deteriorated since Charles ascended to the throne, with some alleging that Prince William, who inherited the Duchy upon his father’s Coronation, has shown little enthusiasm for maintaining his predecessor’s pet project.
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Inhabitants have also expressed exasperation with the Duchy’s stringent building regulations, which they claim leave them shivering through winter months.
Double glazing is prohibited under the estate’s rules, a restriction that one elderly woman who has lived there for 14 years said left her home unable to reach temperatures above 17C during cold spells.
“There are too many rules and regulations. The Duchy are aloof and officious,” she said, declining to give her name.
Earlier this year, the royal estate faced accusations of arrogance following a dispute over tree planting. Homeowners who had paid premium prices for views across Thomas Hardy’s Wessex countryside were angered to discover plans for bird cherry trees that could reach 82ft in height, potentially blocking both their vistas and natural light.
The Duchy subsequently submitted a retrospective planning application to alter the tree species after they had already been planted, further infuriating locals who accused the estate of ignoring their concerns.
Andrew Cook, who relocated from Hertfordshire upon retirement, lamented that the promised vision had not materialised as expected.
“Generally it’s a nice place to live and we have got some nice neighbours, but the idyll we were sold has paled somewhat,” he said.
Mr Cook characterised his dealings with the Duchy as antiquated and unresponsive.
“There’s a real lack of consultation and often the execution of whatever it is they are doing is just not suitable or doesn’t resolve the issue, which is quite frustrating and can be stressful,” he explained, noting he had spent two years attempting to resolve a matter that should have taken weeks.
“They just don’t seem to listen and it seems a very feudal system.”Not all residents shared such negative views. John Matthews, 40, who has lived there for eight years, described Poundbury as “picturesque and eclectic”.
However, he noted that the absence of road markings, reflecting Charles’s preferences, created dangerous traffic conditions. He also expressed concern that soaring property prices were displacing local buyers.