King Charles would be ‘horrified’ as ‘ideal town’ plagued by rats and like ‘Third World'
The town has a royal connection but has reportedly been at the centre of an argument between local residents and the council over bin collections
A scenic town that typifies King Charles's "ideal town" looks like a "Third World" country and has rats "everywhere", according to angry locals.
Poundbury, an extension to the town of Dorchester in Dorset, has reportedly been at the centre of an argument between residents and the local council over bin collections, reports The Telegraph.
Locals have said rubbish has been left to spill over and has attracted rats. However, Dorset Council has suggested that the bins are "often contaminated" with items that can't be recycled.
One local resident said: "The King would be horrified. It's like a Third World country, and it's like this every week."
A second resident said: "There are rats everywhere and the smell is awful. No one seems to be bothered."
Poundbury lies on land owned by the Duchy of Cornwall and features principles "advocated" by King Charles in ‘A Vision of Britain’, according to the Duchy's official website.
It says that the town represents four principles; architecture of place (which includes "beauty" and "character and identity"); affordable housing; mixed-use; and a walkable community.
King Charles has been vocal about architecture in the past and has been known to favour traditional styles, even influencing projects in the UK.
He set out his ideas in a 1989 BBC documentary, 'HRH Prince Of Wales: A Vision Of Britain', which included the principles used for Poundbury and was later published as a book.
The monarch attempted to illustrate his architectural ideas with the town, with the land's location meaning that he could have control over its design.
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In 2022, it was reported that the town had more than 4,000 residents, with one person saying it was a new town with an "old-school village feel", while another said "everything is within walking distance".
King Charles has previously opened up about Poundbury, saying that he was "determined to create an attractive place for people to live, work and play".
Speaking about the recent rubbish issue, a Dorset council spokesman said: "Waste collections have been infrequent here as the communal recycling bins are often contaminated with unrecyclable material."
They added that they wouldn't empty recycling bins with "large amounts" of the "wrong materials", as bin "contamination" leads to "higher disposal costs" for the taxpayer and a negative environmental impact.
