Prince William of Britain has declared his intention to build in order to reduce homelessness. The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate that, according to the official website, supports the public, charitable, and private endeavors of the Prince of Wales and his family. The BBC reports that this project will create 24 homes on this land. First-phase home construction is scheduled to start in September, with completion anticipated in the fall of 2025.
According to the official statement, the homes will be built in partnership with homelessness charity St Petrocs. The first phase of the development will focus on “creating high-quality temporary accommodation that feels like home,” as per the BBC. The statement also added that “wrap-around support” would be provided by St Petrocs to help residents access training and employment opportunities.
Ben Murphy, Duchy’s estate director, said that homes would help “break the cycle of homelessness in the Newquay area”. “As one of his key priorities for the Duchy of Cornwall, Prince William asked us to address the homelessness challenge within Cornwall and other areas where the estate resides,” he said.
“The Duchy is well-known for integrating high quality affordable housing into the new communities built on its land, and Prince William is determined to ensure that we continue to be part of the solution when it comes to the housing crisis. The shortage of social rent and private rented properties are widely considered to be the main causes of increasing homelessness across the country, which is why we are proud to launch this project alongside ambitious plans to unlock more affordable and attainable homes across our estate,” Mr Murphy added.
Separately, charity St Petrocs said it would help residents access training and employment “to provide a route out of homelessness for good”.
“Our charity has been working in Cornwall for over 30 years and has supported many hundreds of people in this time. With the Duchy of Cornwall, we believe we can deliver a truly exemplary project embedded in the local community which will provide a route for many more people out of homelessness for good,” the charity’s chief executive said, as per the outlet.
Notably, the latest announcement by Prince William is part of his five-year campaign – announced in 2023 – to end homelessness.
In addition to the 24 homes, the Duchy of Cornwall announced plans to build up to 200 more affordable homes on top of the 1,020 already in place as part of its future housing projects, which aim to raise the percentage of affordable housing from 30% to 40%, according to a BBC report. It also stated that it intends to establish a Private Rented Scheme for Nansledan, which offers longer-term tenancies, transparent rent increases, and lower entry barriers for individuals with lower incomes.
In addition, the estate promised to construct 475 affordable homes and over 400 socially rented houses on its new South East Faversham development in Kent.
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