Prince William is investing £11 million to construct dozens of affordable, eco-friendly houses on the Isles of Scilly. Ten timber-framed homes are already under construction, with an additional 20 planned for key workers and islanders near a Napoleonic watch tower in Hugh Town, St Mary's.
Duchy of Cornwall's Housing Plans
The Prince of Wales's Duchy of Cornwall estate is also redeveloping an old school building in the area. This refurbishment will create 12 social homes for rent in the largest settlement on the Isles of Scilly. Combined with proposals from the local council and LiveWest housing association, a total of 60 new homes will be built by the end of 2029.
Broader Estate Strategy
These eco-homes come as William prepares to sell off around a fifth of the vast royal estate as part of an ambitious £500 million plan to address Britain's housing and environmental crises. Will Bax, chief executive of the duchy, told The Times: "That could largely solve the housing crisis." He noted that the development cost more than double what it would on the Cornish mainland, adding: "This is the first new building project of any scale on the islands for 20 years, so it hasn't been easy to get to this point."
The Prince of Wales, who inherited control of the duchy after his father became King, is expected to offload parts of the billion-pound estate over the next decade while concentrating investment in five key 'heartlands': Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, Dartmoor, the Bath region, and Kennington in south London. The duchy's future will focus on addressing climate change, boosting affordable housing, investing in renewable energy, and helping struggling rural communities.
William plans to pour £500 million into the project through land sales, development income, partnerships, and borrowing. Around £160 million is expected to go towards housing projects, including affordable homes in Cornwall, the Isles of Scilly, and south London. The duchy also hopes to unlock between 10,000 and 12,000 new homes by 2040 through development near urban areas.
Environmental schemes include plans for 100MW of renewable energy generation over the next decade, enough to power up to 100,000 homes. An additional £20 million will be invested in nature recovery programmes alongside wildlife organisations and government partners.
The proposed changes follow controversy over the duchy's decision to sell ten tenant farms on the historic Bradninch estate in Devon. Bax insisted the duchy was helping farmers buy their properties rather than forcing them out. The duchy also continues to receive £1.5 million a year from a government lease linked to HMP Dartmoor, despite the prison being largely unusable due to dangerous radon gas levels.
