Prince William is aiming to end homelessness as part of a five-year campaign
By Brodie Owen
BBC News, South West
Prince William has announced plans to build 24 homes on Duchy of Cornwall land to help tackle homelessness.
The Duchy said the construction of the homes in Nansledan, Newquay, would begin in September and the first homes are due to be completed in autumn 2025.
They 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”, the Duchy said.
It said “wrap around support” would be provided by St Petrocs to help residents access training and employment opportunities.
‘Break the cycle’
Ben Murphy, the Duchy’s estate director, said the 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.”
St Petrocs said it would help residents access training and employment “to provide a route out of homelessness for good”.
The homes will be built at Nansledan, Newquay, in partnership with homelessness charity St Petrocs
Henry Meacock, the charity’s chief executive, said: “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 Duchy confirmed its future housing projects in Nansledan would aim to increase affordable housing from 30% to 40%, meaning up to 200 more affordable homes will be built on top of the existing 1,020.
It also said it plans to create a Private Rented Scheme for Nansledan, which removes barriers to entry for those on lower incomes, provides longer term tenancies and transparent rent increases.
The estate further committed to building more than 400 social rented homes and a further 475 affordable dwellings on its new development of South East Faversham in Kent.
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