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Fears over 'wall of trees' in King Charles town

Google Trees line both sides of Peverell Avenue West in Poundbury in June 2023. The trees are well-established but young, with slender trunks.Google
Poundbury's design includes tree-lined boulevards

Residents of a settlement inspired by King Charles' model of urban design have voiced fears over plans for a "wall of trees" outside their homes.

The householders in Poundbury, Dorset, said they were previously promised "unobstructed countryside views".

They added that Dorset Council was refusing to maintain their road, Peninsula Way, because of safety issues caused by the trees.

The Duchy of Cornwall, which owns the land, declined to comment, while its developer CG Fry did not respond to the BBC.

Getty Images Prince Charles, as he was then known, touring Poundbury with architect Léon Krier and development manager Andrew Hamilton in 1999. He wears a checked double-breasted suit and is pointing at an unseen part of the development.Getty Images
Poundbury was inspired by the then-prince's model of urban design

Resident Andrew Cook said the Duchy appeared to have a "tree-planting imperative".

He said it had been "intransigent, dogmatic and feudal" in negotiations over the proposed double row of large bird cherry trees, affecting eight properties on the town's perimeter.

Mr Cook said the trees, which were not shown in the developer's publicity material, would grow up to 25m (82ft) high, blocking light and threatening foundations.

He showed the BBC a council letter that said: "Although we continue to work with The Duchy, they have been advised that by planting those trees in the locations proposed, they will make the road essentially unadoptable."

Andrew Cook Andrew Cook stands in Peninsula Way. He has glasses, grey hair and a beard and wears a navy blue fleece. On the far side of the road is a linked wire fence bordering fields.Andrew Cook
Andrew Cook said the Duchy had been "intransigent and feudal"

In a statement, Dorset Council said it could not adopt roads for maintenance that had significant safety issues.

It said: “We are yet to receive a landscape drawing as part of the submission package from the developer.

"However, the drawings provided by the resident included a ‘wall of trees’ which could prejudice the ability to provide sufficient street lighting and vehicular visibility."

Most roads in Poundbury remain unadopted and privately maintained, according to a residents' association meeting in October.

Getty Images An aerial view of part of Poundbury in 2022. Well-established trees in close proximity to each other line a road, which divides houses from an area of grass.Getty Images
Trees are planted around Poundbury to preserve the landscape

Poundbury's approved plans included "tree-lined boulevards" to preserve the landscape, the council added.

The former Prince Charles, who was then the Duke of Cornwall, emphasised landscaping and sustainability in his vision for the settlement on the edge of Dorchester.

Construction, which began in 1993, is not due to finish until 2028, according to the Duchy's website.

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