Prince Charles accused of green site 'hypocrisy'
Prince Charles has adopted a "hypocritical" attitude towards green issues which promotes a system of one rule for ordinary people and another for the rich and powerful, according to Cornish nationalists.
Campaigners claim that at the same time as the prince was delivering a speech about environmental sustainability to the Rio 20 Earth Summit in Mexico, he was going ahead with a scheme to bury acres of Cornish countryside under a retail park.
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Prince Charles
In a video address to the summit, the Duke of Cornwall warned of the dangers of destroying the environment. He said: "We need to be much more informed about the actual state of the planet – wiping out so much of the world's vital biodiversity and removing our chances of storing carbon naturally."
Responding to the address, Mebyon Kernow (MK) spokesman Alan January said he was baffled by what he claimed were the prince's double standards.
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Mr January, who is chairman of MK's Truro-Falmouth branch, said: "I think the hypocrisy of Prince Charles is unbelievable. He is the man ultimately responsible for the East of Truro development, which will put acres of green farmland under a mass of concrete, drastically reduce the biodiversity of the area and expand the urban sprawl of Truro even further." MK led a campaign to fight plans for the East of Truro development on Duchy of Cornwall land in Tregurra Valley at the top of the city's Tregolls Road. The site will include a park-and-ride, supermarket, local food hall and 100 houses. It is supported by Cornwall Council, Taste of Cornwall, Waitrose and the Duchy of Cornwall.
Truro councillor Conan Jenkin said he was also appalled by what he described as the "duplicity" of Charles' comments.
"People of all shades of political opinion rallied together to fight the East of Truro development," said Mr Jenkin. "The Duke's statement on protecting the environment should be welcomed, but the East of Truro development appears to show that it's one rule for normal people and another for Prince Charles."
MK parish councillor in St Newlyn East, Rod Toms, added: "Mebyon Kernow has been leading the fight to defend Cornwall's environment from poor planning decisions, to help build a better strategy for Cornwall and to stand up to the large developers. As the CEO of the Duchy Estate, Prince Charles should be aware of what we say are the unsustainable policies pursued by his 'development company' and admit the damage they are about to do to the east of Truro."
The Duchy of Cornwall was asked for a comment last week, but has yet to reply.
Comments
by Doitdreckley
Sunday, July 08 2012, 12:22PM
“Point is, Homerjay, that if you present youself as a knowledgeable person with slightly unexpected views from his particular background you will get a double audience: the fawners and those who think ' this guy is talking some sense'. That way you can justify your disproportinate welfarist lifestyle while at the same time the uneducated and the crawlers hang on your evrry word.”
by homerjay
Saturday, July 07 2012, 3:40PM
“I must protest about the accusation that Charles is a 'Green' hypocrite'
Rubbish.
He has double standards on all aspects of life.
Morals, environment, big families, carbon footprint, blots on the landscape, animal abuse ad nauseum...”
by Doitdreckley
Saturday, July 07 2012, 10:33AM
“MK are right but why then did its Cornwall councillors vote for the Stadium at Langarth which is linked to housing development?”
by oldjamaica
Friday, July 06 2012, 5:44PM
“we have always known charlie is a huge environmental hypocrite.He bangs the green drum but is responsible for huge developments.
The traffic situation in truro is difficult now but will be even more so with what is proposed.”
by TheodoreV
Friday, July 06 2012, 3:32PM
“I am pleased to say I pointed out the incongruity in the Duke's position when this proposal was first mooted. Planning is now in the hands of a commercialised Cornwall Council that sees only through the eyes of development which is progressively turning the County into a traffic clogged urban sprawl. However at a time of minus growth, by turning low yield fields into high yield houses and retail, plus other canny management of assets, the Duke has managed to buck the trend: his income from duchy estates increased by £635,000 (on total income of over £18m) not to mention that taxpayer–funded grants for his travel and duties
increased and were around two million pounds.”
by poldice
Friday, July 06 2012, 2:42PM
“Did the WMN honestly expect a reply from the D of C after all its a "private estate"... which has got what it wants from a bunch of gulliable councillors... all it needs to do now is tough it out while it counts the profits... oblivious to the fact that the precedent set will unleash a firestorm of unwanted uneccessary development in open countryside.”
by josdave
Friday, July 06 2012, 12:27PM
“This development if it goes ahead will lead to horrendous traffic problems for starters. It's bad enough now trying to get through Truro but with 100 extra houses and a supermarket on the Eastern side it will be almost impossible at times.”