Green light for Royal eco-home

The plans for the six bedroom house combine both ancient and modern with architectural nods to the Classical period combined with extensive energy saving measures.

An accompanying supporting letter saying the Duchy was committed to sustainably regenerating the entire estate upon which the house will be built.

The application came from the offices of Prince Charles’ Duchy of Cornwall and rumours abound that it will serve as the first home of Prince William and his long-term girlfriend Kate Middleton.

Clarence House told edie, however, that the building had been designed for the open rental market.

The home will be built on the site of Harewood Hall, a former SAS training facility which was demolished in the 1950s.

Detailed plans were approved last week and incorporate a significant range of energy saving design measures as well as addressing architectural issues demanded by the location.

“Whilst there will always be architectural debates about the ethics of reviving particular historic styles, the architect has pursued his chosen approach to its logical conclusion and the design is informed by a detailed knowledge of precedent,” said the planning officer’s report.

“This may compromise the scheme’s environmental performance to some extent, but it will be interesting to see how 21st Century eco-technology can be reconciled with 18th Century formalism. This scheme has the potential to be a significant addition to Herefordshire’s architectural canon and is likely to attract national attention.”

A change in planning law implemented in 2006 means that the Crown now has to obtain planning permission for any of its developments.

Sam Bond