Kevin McCloud, the celebrated presenter of Channel 4's Grand Designs, has launched a scathing critique of King Charles III's architectural vision for the model town of Poundbury, branding its interiors 'intolerable'. The 66-year-old design guru's comments, made during a recent lecture, are likely to raise eyebrows at Buckingham Palace. However, the criticism comes as McCloud's own housing development in Hampshire faces renewed scrutiny over its troubled construction history.
McCloud's 'Withering' Critique of a Royal Vision
Delivering a keynote speech at the V&A Museum last week, McCloud did not hold back in his assessment of Poundbury, the Duchy of Cornwall development on the outskirts of Dorchester. The town, a long-held project of the King, is designed in a traditional, neo-Georgian style. McCloud, a Cambridge University graduate in the history of art and architecture, argued that the buildings lacked authenticity.
He described visiting a thatched cottage in Poundbury as 'just horrible', comparing it to a 'modern developer home' with low ceilings. 'It was intolerable as an environment to put people in,' he stated, while clarifying he had 'every respect for his Majesty's tastes'. McCloud's core argument was that the buildings, while externally period-correct, felt 'dead' inside because they were constructed with modern materials like breeze blocks and came with restrictive design covenants.
The 'War Zone' Legacy of McCloud's Own Eco-Estate
While McCloud critiqued the monarch's architectural experiment, he made no mention of the significant controversies that have plagued his own development venture. Through his company, HAB Housing, McCloud oversaw the creation of an eco-friendly estate in the village of Kings Worthy, near Winchester, which opened in 2017.
Residents who moved into the estate, where some homes cost millions, reported a catalogue of problems. The development launched with unfinished pavements and no street lighting. More seriously, homeowners complained of damaged ceilings and broken sewage systems. Retired teacher Ann Edwards revealed, 'My ceiling fell in. It just built up water as it was done wrong.'
One local told the Mail that the early days of the estate resembled a 'war zone', while others compared the chaotic situation to the television farce 'Fawlty Towers'. Peter Savage, 82, summarised the experience: 'You name it, it went wrong.'
A Mixed Verdict from Kings Worthy Residents
Despite the well-documented initial failures, some current residents of the Kings Worthy development now speak more positively. The Lovedon Fields section, part of the wider estate, even won a South Regional Award from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) in 2022.
Martin Humphrey, a retired company director, praised the homes' energy efficiency, noting his bills are half what they were in his 1990s-built previous property. He suggested time pressures from events like Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic may have hampered the project. 'I think it was difficult for Kevin,' he said.
The sense of community is now a highlight for many. 'In the summer there are street parties which are really social,' Humphrey added. However, the legacy of the construction issues remains. One resident admitted, 'Let's just say I don't watch Grand Designs anymore,' though they confirmed most initial problems had eventually been fixed.
McCloud's lecture, titled 'Reinventing Buildings: A Manifesto For The Imagination', also called for a ban on demolishing buildings within the first century of their life. He used the last-minute saving of London's St Pancras station as an example of why such protection is needed. HAB Housing was contacted for comment regarding the ongoing resident feedback.
