King Charles’ eco credentials questioned as his model town restricts solar panels

King Charles’ eco credentials have been called into question, as it emerged his model town bans modern windows and restricts solar panels.

Residents in Poundbury, near Dorchester, Dorset, say that they are subject to harsh design rules which leave them living in draughty houses comparable with those in the 1950s.

The rules at the King’s flagship development also bar homeowners from installing solar panels or washing lines if they are visible from the street.

One local said the rule on outdoor clothes dryers means that most houses rely on tumble dryers.

“King Charles calls himself an environmentalist, but these rules are not very environmentally friendly, or good for residents in the cost of living crisis,” said the resident.

The rules were introduced whilst the King was the head of the Duchy of Cornwall - which has since been inherited by Prince William, along with the title the Duke of Cornwall.

A spokesman for the Duchy insisted that “sustainability is fundamental to every element” of Poundbury and that the rules are common across modern housing developments.

The town was built by the then-Prince of Wales as an experimental community based around historical styles of architecture where shops, places of work and services are all within walking distance.

The strict design and community code, published by the Duchy of Cornwall in 2019, states: “The following items shall not be located such that they will be visible from the street: clothes dryers … rooftop solar collectors [and] PV panels.”

King Charles has installed solar panels on the roof of 180-year-old Clarence House and at his country estate in Highgrove.

The design code includes a foreword from the now King, in which he says that he was determined that Poundbury would not become a “yet another soulless housing estate”.

He says that the document is similar to rules in conservation areas across the country and that he hopes it will “allow Poundbury to adapt to the future without compromising the essential quality of architecture and civic design”.

It also states that windows should be repaired, rather than replaced. When they are replaced, a replica of the existing window should be used.

The rules add: “The replacement of even a single window, by an unsuitable type, could mar an entire group or street view.”

The rules stipulate that these should be made of timber and not modern uPVC or plastic-coated timber frames. They also say nothing should be done to “alter or change the appearance of the property” without “the approval in writing of His Royal Highness”.

However, homeowners have pointed out that the soft wood that their windows are built with means that they are draughty compared with modern windows. Many people have complained that they are rotting.

Residents argue that uPVC windows that are designed to look like wood have been used in conservation areas across the country.

One resident, named only as Edward, said: “I remember growing up in the 50s and having to stuff newspapers round the windows to stop the drafts.

“Here I am in 2022, living in Poundbury and having to do the same, which is appalling.”

He said that the King and the Duchy should be “thoroughly ashamed of themselves”.

The 75-year-old said that he had planned for the house to be his last but “with all the defects”, he is beginning to regret the decision.

A spokesman for the Duchy of Cornwall said: “Sustainability is fundamental to every element of the Poundbury development and The Duchy is a firm supporter of renewable energy sources. 

“Proposals for solar panels are welcomed and many installations have already been approved.”

The buildings are heated with environmentally friendly biogas, said the spokesman - adding that “homes in the development are very energy efficient, with evolving materials enabling further improvements”.

They conceded that uPVC windows are becoming more environmentally friendly but argued that they still contain “significant embodied carbon”.