Is Poundbury popular? The King’s suburb in Dorchester has lovers and haters. IMO it is another example of how to give future occupiers what they want. Last week The Times Property newsletter asked this question. ‘Would you object to a Poundbury-style scheme being built in your backyard.’
My letter of reply, challenging its comparison with Tuscan hill towns, which was not published said
’More to the point is when will the Crown Estate use its muscle and build Poundbury 2 ? Leon Kruger, the Poundbury architect wanted to build mansion blocks in Dorchester, not high-end semis from the last decades of Queen Victoria’s reign. Tuscan hill towns have more in common with urban living, not rural/suburban living. No cars downstairs for example. Pedestrians roam the road. And the welfare state is round the corner: it is called the family. Each area has its inique identity, through its own contrada. Which supports the community and competes to offer the best food at the annual palio! ‘
Far more interesting are the four replies published on 22 September 2026. They vividly illustrate the importance of doing it right
Andy Evans, Dorset. I actually live in Poundbury and my wife and I are very happy with the whole concept. With our experience living here I would not object to seeing more Poundbury-type layouts anywhere!
David Powell, East Sussex I live in East Sussex where we have some beautiful villages, many of which are threatened by large, soulless housing developments which will put pressure on the infrastructure and little sense of community. I would be highly supportive of building considerate, attractive developments such as Poundbury. You can only build on the landscape once, so you should do so wisely.
Rhonda Russell, I would not object. I recently visited Poundbury and thought it was somewhere I would like to live. A wide variety of house styles built with quality materials. Trees and open spaces, not on a basic grid layout. It was wonderful to see.
Simon Barber. If there were to be a Poundbury scheme ‘in my backyard’ , I would probably want to move into it.
David Powell puts his finger on the essence : ‘You can only build on the landscape once, so you should do so wisely.’ With very rare exceptions, since WW2 in this we have failed.
Ian Campbell
23 September 2026
