Prince William has praised the Duchy of Cornwall, his £1billion estate in the south of England, as he visited the Isles of Scilly this afternoon.
The Prince of Wales arrived in style today, making waves on his journey into the islands as he made the crossing aboard the John Guy, a newly commissioned pilot vessel funded by the Duchy of Cornwall and named after a Scillonian-born worker who served the estate for many years.
The Duke of Cornwall, as he is known locally, was there to tour a near-complete construction site where the Duchy is delivering 10 new sustainable homes designed to address the islands’ severe housing shortage.
Overall, his estate has invested £11million to build 30 affordable eco-homes on the Isles, with approximately 60 new homes expected to be completed within the next three years, including separate initiatives from the local council and LiveWest housing association.
The new movement aims to tackle the islands’ housing crisis, which was declared in 2022 following a lack of land and surging house prices.
This afternoon, the Duke of Cornwall said: “We are evolving what it means to be a landowner, moving from passive stewardship towards a more active contribution, with social and environmental purpose at its heart.
“This represents a clear shift in our strategy. There is much more to do, and we are investing as quickly as we can while balancing a number of priorities, but our direction is clear.”
He added: “Our ambition is to create opportunities for communities to truly live well, now and for generations to come.
Prince William arrived by sea this morning for a day of engagements across the Isles of Scilly, stepping ashore at Hughtown harbour on St Mary’s. | GETTY
“We’re on a journey, we’re not suggesting we have everything right today, but our direction is clear: to place social and environmental purpose at the heart of how we evolve and what we do.”
Priority for the properties will go to individuals who have resided on the Isles of Scilly for at least five years or who are currently employed there.
The dwellings will incorporate substantial insulation, positive ventilation systems and rooftop solar panels once finished.
Each home will additionally provide a dedicated parking space linked to the island’s car-share scheme, with infrastructure for electric vehicle charging.
William toured a near-complete construction site where the Duchy is delivering 10 new sustainable homes designed to address the islands’ severe housing shortage
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PA
The first residents are expected to move in during winter 2026.
The development represents a cornerstone of William’s ambitious overhaul of his private estate, which will see approximately one-fifth of the billion-pound portfolio sold off to fund a £500million programme addressing Britain’s housing shortage and environmental challenges.
The Prince of Wales, who assumed control of the duchy following his father’s accession to the throne, plans to dispose of portions of the 54,000-hectare estate over the coming decade and concentrate resources on five designated “heartlands” where advisers believe the greatest positive impact can be achieved.
These priority regions comprise Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, Dartmoor, the Bath area and Kennington in south London.
The housing crisis gripping the islands has reached critical levels, with the council warning four years ago the community could become “unviable” without intervention.
The archipelago’s 2,200 permanent residents contend with soaring property prices driven by second homes and holiday lets, leaving vital workers such as firefighters, teachers and medical staff competing fiercely for scarce accommodation.