A walkable community

The public realm at Poundbury is designed around people rather than cars to help create a attractive environment and a series of well connected streets and squares. The principles of the design in Poundbury have inspired town planners all over the world.

The irregular design of streets constrain car speeds, and by minimising road signs the motorist, pedestrian and other road users are required to think about how to interact with each other.

Mixed Use Development

Poundbury integrates residential, retail and business uses with public amenities, so many people are able to live and work without the reliance on motor vehicles.

Many daily needs can be met on foot, but there is nevertheless ample provision for car parking – business surveys suggest this continues to be one of the strongest reasons for locating to Poundbury.

Parking is generally provided in landscaped courtyards at the rear of properties, which also incorporate housing and coach houses with ancillary spaces for playrooms and workshops. Provision for these extra spaces recognises the increasing demands for flexible living arrangements, enabling people to work from home where appropriate.

Integrating small workshop and retail spaces into larger blocks has encouraged many small independent, artisan businesses to establish and then thrive in Poundbury, alongside more established professional services and industrial businesses.