Poundbury goes to the nation
10:19am Thursday 24th July 2008
LOOKALIKE Poundburys could be spawned across the country after it was hailed a model community on the outskirts of a market town.
The Prince of Wales's development near Dorchester has been praised in a Government review that identifies solutions for affordable rural living.
The report was commissioned by Prime Minister Gordon Brown to discover how up to three million homes could be built in the countryside.
It recommends that expansion schemes of British market towns are similar in style to Poundbury.
The report mentions its community facilities, shops, workshops and green spaces.
Author Matthew Taylor, a Liberal Democrat MP, slams the urban sprawl of residential estates that blight' market towns.
Mr Taylor notes the high degree of planning in Poundbury, its community spirit and the quality of its design and architecture.
Chairman of the Poundbury Residents' Association Fran Leaper think it works because it has its own facilities but also integrates with the Dorchester community.
She added: "It's important that we are joined up with Dorchester because we all want to belong to Dorchester. We have our own shops and facilities here and people from Dorchester use them too. There's a great integration.
"Charlton Down is a few miles up the road and it seems to be in its own little bubble.
"I think if greenfield sites must be built on, then the town can benefit as a whole."
The report also recommends that, to increase rural expansion, councils should have the power to limit the number of second homes in popular holiday areas.
Mrs Leaper said she would be in favour of such restrictions for Poundbury.
She added: "I don't think too many second homes are a good idea because they don't help to build a community."
The Duchy of Cornwall estate, landowner of Poundbury, outlaws holiday lettings in the village.
West Dorset District Council's development control manager John Greenslade said the planning principles employed in the development of Poundbury have proven very successful.
He added: "A high quality, mixed-use community has been created that makes a very efficient use of a greenfield site.
"Many of these principles can be transferred to other developments, but it is important that all new developments, regardless of where they are, should respond to and be in harmony with, local distinctiveness and context."