Poundbury- does anyone live there?

[Fleetheart]

Some news outlets suggesting maybe Britain’s new towns may be modelled on Poundbury. It looks nice to me; but doesn’t seem to be popular, why is this? what’s it like? Do you recommend it?

No but I love the style of the houses. Traditional but bright and light inside and some seem more spacious than the average new home. Would be great to see new developments that are not identikit boxes.

I’ve always been intrigued by this place

It has a bit of a Royston Vasey vibe to me.

As Jonathan Meades said, it's the sort of place that gives pastiche a bad name.

haha; is there no one who actually lives there on here?

I have been there-I think from an outsider it looks a good model?

Haven’t seen anything about it. I’ll look up what’s about.

Did he? What a smug and hateful comment. If only every modern development could be accused of such bad taste.

I don’t live in Poundbury but have met a few people over the years who have. They didn’t have any complaints and moved there because it looked and felt lovely. It is a modern development that draws on so many pleasing, classical styles of architecture and town planning. Ben Pentreath and his team are extremely talented. I wish that the likes of Redrow, Persimmon or any of that dreadful new build lot had one ounce of the creativity and vision that goes into Ben Pentreath’s architecture.

Tornagrain was his most recent new town development, and goes to show that aesthetically pleasing architecture doesn’t need to be grand or expensive, and can be drawn from simple vernacular local style.

I visited a while back because I was curious, I was really impressed, the architecture was lovely, I would be happy to live there, it felt safe and peaceful.

One rather likes it.

I met someone once who lived there and absolutely loved it - she said she could walk everywhere she needed to and her neighbours were all very nice (probably because they were all quite a lot like her!) She was an older retired lady and wasn't commuting anywhere or raising a family - does Poundbury have amenities for a more mixed age population, schools and things?

The photos I saw online looked a bit stark and bare but they were from when it was all newly built - I'm sure as the trees and landscaping grows in it will look much more real and lived in, which will help. It's 1000% nicer than the identikit ticky tacky little boxes of new build estates round our way.

we have stopped there several times as it’s en route to son’s house. It feels a little odd and artificial and, with the exception of Waitrose, have seen very few people out and about.

My cousin lives there. She loves it. It's really walkable, apparently. The kids play out.

I've met a couple of people that live there. One said that the houses aren't very well built, for instance the windows leak. Also you are not allowed to hang your washing to dry outside.

My PIL have a holiday place there. They like it because it’s very easy and a good base to get to the coast/go for walks. I find it a bit odd but I live in Central London so am very used to a different way of living!

I live not far away in dorset but always drive through on my way to family in Devon. It's gorgeous! The houses have aged a little now and don't look so brand new. The centre of Poundbury is full of boutique shops and it has lots of young families. Very walkable too.

There are new builds in Wimborne Minster by Wyatt homes that have a Poundbury vibe - local residents have complained about ugly new builds and developers are trying for period property looks now. If Labours building of new towns etc continues then I can see more being built in that style.

I think it's a great idea rather than bog standard orange brick and anthracite grey window new builds.

We call in for a meal there on the way back from Devon. I love it and could happily live there. It's over thirty years old so the landscaping has really grown into its own now. I live on a new build estate and it doesn't have the character that Poundbury has even though it's supposed to be based on heritage buildings.

Not there but near there...It is quite soulless in places, like its devoid of all life. That's not to wholly disparage it, some great ideals realised but it hasn't got it quite right.

Some of my friends who have lived there have recounted some pretty serious problems with build qualities of the homes they had there!

I'm a huge believer of gentle density towns and that we should use much more traditional design when building for a number of reasons, so the plan to model new developments on Poundbury is very interesting- mostly for good reasons!

Create Streets highlight some great looking developments.

I live near Poundbury. I also work in the property industry so see first hand when things go wrong with the buildings there. (And they do, a lot!)

Personally I think it is bland and extremely overpriced. It reminds me of the film "The Truman Show"; it's all a bit samey and fake looking. In fact I had to go there to collect something and actually thought I'd driven into some sort of weird film set or theme park area.

A lot of the properties have fake chimneys and some of the buildings have design elements to make them look a certain way but I've been told that it's actually just polystyrene painted to look like columns etc.
Also it has quite a lot of covenants like you aren't allowed to hang your washing up on a line in the garden where it can be seen. Bins should not be visible from the front. You can't park a van or boat or anything there. There are even rules on naming your house (it needs to be approved) and where you can put the name sign and which font it should be in!

It has a certain aesthetic that may appeal to people but I think it's just m'eh. Expensive m'eh at that.

It's a lovely place to live and it's achieved what it has set out to do.

Agree with above comments re covenants and that's just a couple, not ideal and must put people off purchasing.

Nice green spaces and parks, I would say it has a feel that is it's for every generation of living.
There are a lot of high end apartments and houses but also social and "affordable" homes too.

It's well located, amazing surrounding areas and good link for trains in to London although it seems to stop at every station on route.

you aren't allowed to hang your washing up on a line in the garden where it can be seen. Bins should not be visible from the front. You can't park a van or boat or anything there

I don’t understand why this is seen as a bad thing! I wish covenants like this existed in your average British development or average street, so many streets look an absolute mess these days with masses of cars, vans, caravans and rows of endless bins everywhere, utterly depressing. When you look at old photos streets looked so much more appealing without our modern mess cluttering up the streets.

when things go wrong with the buildings there. (And they do, a lot!)
Personally I think it is bland and extremely overpriced. It reminds me of the film "The Truman Show"; it's all a bit samey and fake looking. In fact I had to go there to collect something and actually thought I'd driven into some sort of weird film set or theme park area.

Yes, it can definitely have that slightly eerie feel sometimes, I know exactly what you mean.
In the summer, when you're at the pub and there are people milling about, happy & relaxed, it can feel much nicer but - seriously- 9 times out of 10 when I'm there it's just soulless and weird.

Some of the covenants, like no washing outside, are the same as - I believe - in other Charles owned residential areas and nothing more than snobbery and, in real terms, classis in action.

One of the foundational design principles of Poundbury was that cars shouldn't be visible, there was an idea that people should be able to walk work. Nowadays we'd refer to the 15-minute city. Poundbury also reflects shows how design which is unrealistic causes the concept to fail...Unless you live in Poundbury and work in Waitrose or the pub, for example, you won't be able to walk to work!

Good design should not only allow for the practical realities of life, but enhance them. Pounbury fails on this point because it emphasises design over substance.

The influence of a rich but well-meaning man who can run his eco car on left-over wine is clear to see!

A family friend bought a house there to retire to and they were showing me their title and they were going to have to pay service charges to more than one layer of management company and there were pages of restrictive covenants as well. It looked like a lifestyle where you were going to be very regimented and not really feel like a true homeowner at all. But I guess some people may be like how controlled it is

Not hanging washing outside though! It's hardly in line with Charles' supposed environmentalism

I'd rather be in Dorchester than Poundbury.