Prince Charles will visit an affordable housing development as well as dropping in on his Poundbury estate next week.

Clarence House has announced the Prince of Wales will visit a development at Forge Orchard, Powerstock on Tuesday, May 28 before going to Dorchester.

Forge Orchard is a new development of eight affordable homes built as a result of a partnership between Powerstock & District Community Land Trust (PDCLT) and rural housing specialist Hastoe Housing Association.

Offering a mix of 1-3 bedroom houses and a 1-bedroom bungalow, all the homes have been prioritised for local people and available for affordable rent.

Forge Orchard has been designed to reflect a farmyard conversion. All the materials used were carefully selected to meet the requirements of the conservation area. Native trees and hedges are being planted to match those already in the area and Hastoe Housing Association has provided residents with a fruit tree to plant in their garden, if they would like it. The Crutchley Estate has allocated residents with allotment spaces elsewhere in the village. The ecological zone provides areas of landscaping that contribute towards the ecology of the area.

The PDCLT was created in 2012 with the aim of transforming the site, most recently a disused builder’s yard, into additional affordable housing for local people in the village. With the support of Wessex Community Assets, the Community Land Trust purchased the land from the privately owned Crutchley’s Estate for a nominal fee. Hastoe was then selected to develop and manage the homes on the Trust’s behalf.

Designed by Etchingham Morris Architecture and built in partnership with contractors Classic Builders and employer’s agent Frazer Garner Associates, the new homes were completed in February.

Charles will then meet people involved in the Open for Art, a programme of open studio events.

It has been running in Weymouth and Portland since 2009 and in 2017, the project expanded to include Dorchester and Poundbury with more than 40 venues displaying work by more than 80 artists.

This year, the event will take over Poundbury, with organisers bringing together artists, businesses and community groups with links to Poundbury and Dorchester to create a local trail of talent. The Duchy Farmhouse is a central venue, opening for several days across the fortnight long festival. In an exhibition curated by Teresa Lawton, work will be displayed by creators including Notarianni Glass, Andrew Dumolo from ADFurniture, and sculptor Angelika Seik.

The exhibition at the Duchy Farmhouse will also include a watercolour painted by Charles.

The painting, Caithness, was loaned for display following a letter requested a submission from HRH by Poundbury resident and painter, Judy Tate.

Charles will also find out about the work of the recycling project Boomerang Bags started by a teacher at Damers First School.