You mention Poundbury in connection with the new commuter village of Cambourne near Cambridge (13 August, page 36). Both are faced with potential expansion way beyond the original plans.

When I visited Poundbury earlier this year I found the original village (total pastiche of course) to be maturing nicely, with its village square, discretely disguised pub and stores. Not a jarring piece of street furniture in view, few public signs, no television aerials, few cars 鈥�

However, as may happen in Cambourne, a further phase was almost complete and I sensed a change in style. The surrounding fields were a vast building site, indicating that what was a village will shortly be a sizeable town.

It would be instructive if 黑洞社区 were now to compare the two schemes: the one resulting from the discipline of royal patronage, and the other from the traditional developer route.

Malcolm Taylor, via email

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