Royal sources described the trip to Cornwall as a “joint initiative” between the King and PM, following discussions between them on their shared interest in housing
King Charles has given Prime Minister Keir Starmer a guided tour of his environmentally friendly, sustainable housing project in Cornwall, in a rare joint visit. Deputy PM and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner was also part of this unusual, high-powered gathering, as they toured houses, a school and orchard in Nansledan.
The King wanted to show them a project that brings together traditional building materials, sustainable living and training projects. But as monarch the King has to avoid getting drawn into party politics. Building new homes is a priority for the government with its target of building 1.5 million new homes by 2029.
The King and prime minister meet for their weekly audiences and often attend the same public occasions – and are said to have developed a good relationship. There also seems to be a good rapport between the King and Angela Rayner. But it’s very unusual for them take part in an engagement like this together.
In his role as head of state, the monarch is expected to avoid straying into party politics. As Prince of Wales, Charles had been vocal on his views on architecture and other issues, with accusations of meddling, as he wrote to ministers in so-called “black spider” memos, named after his style of handwriting.
But the prime minister’s spokesman said the Nansledan visit wasn’t the King getting involved in politics. Royal sources described Monday’s trip to Cornwall as a “joint initiative” between the King and prime minister, following discussions between them on their shared interest in housing.
The King had highlighted his own housing development and had offered to show around Sir Keir, with Monday’s visit the first date that could be arranged.
Angela Rayner, as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, also came for a first-hand view of this style of building. The trio met Nansledan residents and visited local businesses, saw a community kitchen which provides training and skills, visited a primary school and saw an orchard, which provides locally-grown food and supports 45 jobs.
On questions of accommodation, one of the children at the school in Nansledan asked: “Do you live in Buckingham Palace?”
Another young pupil called to him: “King Charles, King Charles” and then tried a more formal approach, calling out: “King Charles III.”
There wasn’t any car sharing between engagements, with the King in one car and Starmer and Angela Rayner in another. The deputy prime minister, known for her individual fashion style, wore a pair of leopard print 1950s-style shoes.
Nansledan, near Newquay, was launched in 2014 as a “human-scale” housing development that drew on the King’s environmental principles, providing green spaces, using local materials and training people in building skills.
There is an emphasis on design, with residents having to comply with a community code intended to stop alterations to the fronts of houses that would change the overall look of streets.
There are behaviour rules too for residents not to cause disturbances or annoy neighbours, including not to make “excessive noise including by arguing or slamming of doors”. So far there are 840 houses built out of an intended 3,700, in a project that began when Charles was Prince of Wales and owned the Duchy of Cornwall.
The Duchy of Cornwall is an estate, mostly in the South West, which provides a private income for the Prince of Wales. The most recent annual income was almost £24m. Housing is a key issue for the government – under pressure to increase the volume of homes being built and to improve the affordability.
Rayner said she was determined to achieve the promise of an extra 1.5 million homes. “There are no excuses to not build those homes that people desperately need,” she said. “And we mean business on this, because far too many people are not getting these homes.”
Gillian Keegan, a former Conservative MP and education secretary, argued the previous government had made progress but warned that the pace of building remained “too slow”.
The importance of teaching skills, on display at Nansledan, was also relevant, as the construction industry has warned that housebuilding targets will be blocked by a lack of staff. Building firms have blamed several factors including a skills shortage, an ageing workforce and Brexit for the shrinking pool of construction workers.
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