Not "a Dorset Village": Poundbury, Dorchester

An ambitious urban development by the Duchy of Cornwall, a.k.a. Prince Charles.

It is a place with no soul and little character; I couldn't even work out whether it has a commercial centre.  The architecture is massive and worthy, the streets are wide and provide plenty of free parking. 

Poundbury is on the top of a hill, which gives free range to the current arctic blasts.  It is sited (on land provided by the Duchy) immediately to the west of Dorchester, originally a Roman town, and is also very close to the massive Iron Age fort at Maiden Castle.  These juxtapositions are simply inexcusable.

No doubt the building work at Poundbury will one day come to an end. Perhaps the architects responsible will even rethink and demolish its ghastly western end where it abuts the A35 road.

Marks out of ten?  Not many.


(PS: I have guessed the location of this photo for the map.)