Im the one who described Poundbury as soulless.
I've lived in various new builds and have friends in brand new developments, many of the houses aren't that attractive and the development are sprawling, they are all more life in them than Poundbury. This isn't criticism for criticism's sake.
Poundbury often feels soulless and eerie because its designed as a town, but is the inspiration of someone who has only lived in palaces..That may sound like inverse snobbery but it isn't. In the interests of aesthetically pleasing design, all those things that make a place look alive, lived in and give it a breathing heart have been removed or hidden.
Often I've popped into Poundbury for something and it's been utterly deserted, the shops shut and almost no one around. I describe it as soulless because it is - its like an empty film set, one without props.
As much as anything it shows that we need a bit of untidiness, a bit of higgildy pigiddly to make a town feel comfortable and come alive.
Poundbury can be pleasant, especially when the sun is shining and there are people around. The neo-classical architecture is lovely and I agree in theory with many of its principles...they just haven't worked in reality. Poundbury can also be eerie and unsettling, without a sense of community.