Poundbury
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This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. (November 2011) |
Coordinates: 50°42′48″N 2°27′55″W / 50.713333°N 2.465278°W
| Poundbury | |
 Brownsword Hall in Poundbury, designed by architect John Simpson and based on earlier traditional designs, particularly the one in Tetbury |
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 Poundbury
Poundbury shown within Dorset |
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| OS grid reference | SY671549 |
|---|---|
| District | West Dorset |
| Shire county | Dorset |
| Region | South West |
| Country | England |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | DORCHESTER |
| Postcode district | DT1 |
| Dialling code | 01305 |
| Police | Dorset |
| Fire | Dorset |
| Ambulance | South Western |
| EU Parliament | South West England |
| UK Parliament | West Dorset |
Poundbury is an experimental new town or urban extension on the outskirts of Dorchester in the county of Dorset, England.
The development is built on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. It is built according to the principles of Prince Charles. The Prince is known for holding strong views challenging the post-war trends in town planning.
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Plan[edit]
The development is built to a traditional high-density urban pattern, rather than a suburban one, focused on creating an integrated community of shops, businesses, and private and social housing; there is no zoning. The planners say they are designing the development around people rather than the car, and they aim to provide a high-quality environment, from the architecture to the selection of materials, to the signposts, and the landscaping. To avoid constant construction, utilities are buried in common utility ducts under the town. Common areas are maintained by a management company to which all residents belong.
To some degree, the project shows similarities with the contemporary New Urbanism movement, except that the design influences are, of course, European. The design of the houses are in traditional styles, with period features such as bricked-up windows, a feature found on many old British buildings, due to the window tax.[1]
The overall plan was developed in the late 1980s by the European architect Leon Krier, and construction started in October 1993. Krier's plans have been criticised for mixing too many different continental styles and the use of non-local building materials, which are not consistent with the traditions of Dorchester. It is expected that the four plan phases will be developed over 25 years with a total of 2,500 dwellings and a population of about 6,000.
Greetings card entrepreneur Andrew Brownsword sponsored the £1 million development of the market hall at Poundbury, designed by John Simpson and based on early designs, particularly the one in Tetbury.[2]
Following New Urbanist principles, Poundbury was intended to reduce car dependency and encourage walking, cycling and public transport. However, a survey conducted at the end of the first phase showed that car use was higher in Poundbury than in the surrounding (rural) district of West Dorset.[3]
Gallery[edit]
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The Whistling Witch (affectionately) 2008
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The new Dorset Fire and Rescue Service HQ/Fire station nears completion Sept. 2008.
See also[edit]
- Fairford Leys - A very similar project located on the edge of Aylesbury.
- Poundbury Hill – an Iron Age hill fort near Poundbury
References[edit]
- HRH Charles, Prince of Wales: A Vision of Britain : A Personal View of Architecture (Doubleday, 1989) ISBN 0-385-26903-X
- Leon Krier: Architecture: Choice or Fate (Andreas Papadakis Publishers, 1998) ISBN 1-901092-03-8
- Sandy Mitchell. "Prince Charles is not your typical radical." National Geographic. May 2006. [1] Accessed online 9/14/06
Notes[edit]
- ^ "Around Poundbury". BBC Dorset. July 2008. Retrieved 19 April 2013.
- ^ Giles Worsley A model village grows up gracefully The Telegraph, 30 January 2011.
- ^ WATSON, G., BENTLEY, I., ROAF, S. and SMITH, P., 2004. Learning from Poundbury, Research for the West Dorset District Council and the Duchy of Cornwall. Oxford Brookes University
External links[edit]
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Poundbury |
- Map and guide to Poundbury businesses
- Poundbury community website
- Poundbury business guide and local information
