Residents in a ‘toy town’ built by King Charles to reflect his firm views on architecture are staging a revolution against his strict ban on CCTV cameras following a series of break-ins.
Anybody wanting to live in Nansledan, Cornwall, must first sign up to a binding 38-page ‘covenant’ including a staggering 85 rules to prevent any changes to the look of their property.
Attaching anything to the outside of the house from washing lines to satellite dishes, flags, drain pipes or cameras is forbidden and ‘enforceable by the Duchy of Cornwall’ – although doorbell cameras are permitted.
But following a series of break-ins this week residents say they – and the police – want more cameras installed on homes.
Kelly Moss, owner of KM Aesthetics in Nansledan, had thieves damage the door to her beauty salon during a failed break-in last weekend.
Posting on Facebook she said: ‘Police suggested I should as other businesses should install CCTV regardless of the Duchy rules and will be suggesting the same to the Duchy.’
Kelly added she would already have cameras up outside her shop if they weren’t banned by the Duchy.
Another resident said she disturbed a burglar inside her house on Wednesday (15th). She said: ‘I had someone in our house while I was in the shower, called downstairs as I thought it was my husband home from work.
Residents in a ‘toy town’ built by King Charles to reflect his firm views on architecture are staging a revolution against his strict ban on CCTV cameras following a series of break-ins
Pictured is Kelly Moss, whose business was victim to a break in
Following a series of break-ins this week residents say they – and the police – want more cameras installed on homes. Pictured is Kelly Moss’s door after a break in
‘I must have scared them off and when I went to the window I saw someone walking out of our back garden. Could only see them from behind but looked like he was wearing a dark coloured hoodie, dark trousers and maybe light coloured trainers.’
The nearby Ladyvale Bakery was also broken into over the weekend with owners saying an internal door and lockbox were damaged by the intruder.
Devon and Cornwall Police confirmed there was ‘an unsuccessful attempt to gain entry’ to the salon between 5pm on Saturday and 9am on Monday but added ‘at this time, there are no viable lines of enquiry’.
Police are understood to have stepped up patrols and have told residents they will contact the Duchy to urge them to relax CCTV rules.
But residents say they aren’t willing to wait for permission and are ready to ignore the King’s orders and install their own cameras.
Sarah Astbury said: ‘What’s the rules with regards to putting cameras up? Is it only doorbell ones allowed?
‘I read the estate stipulations say not to alter the external appearance of the unit so I’m guessing the cameras fall into that?’
Local resident Paula Abbott said: ‘Quite frankly, I can’t see how the Duchy can put in a rule that doesn’t allow us to improve our security or mitigate security, safety and welfare concerns.’
Paula Abbott is baffled by the rule in the picture perfect village
Kelly Moss, owner of KM Aesthetics in Nansledan, had thieves damage the door to her beauty salon during a failed break-in last weekend
Pictured is KM Aesthetics in Nansledan, which was broken in to
Katie Gough added: ‘Sod the rules. Protect yourself and your home.’
Work began on the development – a sequel to Poundbury in Dorset set on the edge of Newquay – in 2014 and was personally overseen by Charles while he was Prince of Wales although responsibility has since passed over to Prince William.
The 38-page Design and Community Code includes rules and restrictions banning visible washing lines, satellite dishes, no ball games and even bans having noisy arguments.
The rulebook was created to ‘protect the character’ of Nansledan, where neo-traditional properties costing up to £500,000, and built from local slate, echo 1930s architecture.
It adds: ‘The stipulations are binding for all properties, their owners and occupiers. As and when new buildings are completed, purchasers are supplied with the stipulations so that all owners and occupiers are aware of them. Breaches of the stipulations could result in enforcement action and may prejudice the sale of individual properties.’
And it warns that the stipulations are enforceable by the Duchy of Cornwall.
A pencil drawing shows a new house captioned 2017 showing it without any additions. Below this is a house captioned 2027 and the words ‘It couldn’t happen here…?’ showing the house with added satellite dish, skylights, conservatory, plant pots and a car on the driveway.
On X, urban planner Peter Kelly said the code at Charles’s ‘latest toy town… is pretty terrifying’.
Sources said the rules were set by the Duchy of Cornwall, not by Charles himself.
Katie Gough said: ‘Sod the rules. Protect yourself and your home’
Development at Nansledan is expected to continue until 2045 and last year Prince William visited to announce plans to spend £3million building social housing to tackle homelessness.
The Prince of Wales wants to build 24 homes on land belonging to the Duchy. The properties, which will include a mix of four-bedroom houses and one-bedroom flats, could be completed as soon as next year with the royal personally overseeing the project.
If it goes well it is believed the father-of-three could consider further projects on the 130,000 acres of land he owns in the county as the Duke of Cornwall, a title he inherited when his father ascended to the throne.
The 42-year-old had previously committed to building social housing on his Duchy of Cornwall land and sources have claimed he wants to ‘lead from the front’ in the battle against homelessness.
A source told The Times that the Prince wants the homes to ‘look and feel as homely as possible’ to combat the stigma of social housing and they will follow the ‘traditional Cornish seaside’ style to blend in.
It is understood that the homes will be low-carbon and have slate roofs, granite lintels, solar panels and heat pumps.
Environmentally conscious like his father, the Prince of Wales has ordered for the site to be planted with an array of shrubs and flowers to encourage biodiversity.
The land, which he controls as the Duke of Cornwall, stretches 130,000-acres from Cornwall to Kent and was valued at £1billion.
And the Duchy, which provides the heir to the throne with an income – last year it brought in profits of £24million – will supply the land for the project for free and cover all construction costs.