Due for completion in 2028, construction on the 400-acre development began in 1993. Today, Poundbury is home to more than 5,000 people, with another 2,730 working in its shops, offices, factories and cafes.

Now that King Charles has ascended the throne, his son, the new Duke of Cornwall, Prince William, will take the reins. But where did it all begin, and why did the King decide to build his own town?

The then Prince of Wales (aka the Duke of Cornwall) was well known for his outspoken criticism of modernist architecture.

He infamously called plans for the extension of London’s National Gallery a “monstrous carbuncle” and five years later outlined his views on urban planning in his book A Vision of Britain, which championed traditional architecture, closer communities, and sustainability. It would provide the blueprint for his vision for the idyllic town of Poundbury.

In 1988, he commissioned the visionary urban theorist Leon Krier to produce a plan for developing Poundbury.

His brief was to create an autonomous extension to the nearby town of Dorchester blending in with traditional Dorset architecture, using the urban design principles described in A Vision of Britain a book written by Charles in 1989.

The overall design reflects a traditional English village with a mix of residential, commercial, and retail spaces, all within easy walking distance.

Take a tour of Poundbury, the town King Charles created