Prince William visits Nansledan homelessness housing project ahead of new residents moving in this summer 

Today, Prince William visited Nansledan to see the Duchy of Cornwall’s first dedicated homelessness housing initiative, delivered in partnership with local charity St Petrocs and supported by Homewards.

The partnership will deliver 24 low-carbon, high-quality homes with wrap-around support for local people experiencing homelessness. Phase one of the project is nearing completion and will soon provide temporary accommodation designed to feel like home, with the first residents expected to move in this summer.

Homelessness continues to rise across the UK, with Cornwall facing acute housing pressures driven by a shortage of affordable homes. High-quality temporary accommodation is critical to preventing homelessness; however, it can often lack the stability and support needed to help people move on successfully.

At Nansledan, partners are working together to demonstrate an alternative approach. Alongside high-quality, secure homes, residents will receive tailored wrap-around support, access to skills, and links to local services – creating a clear pathway towards independence and permanent housing.

From the outset, both the physical design of the homes and the support services have been shaped by people with lived experience of homelessness. This includes selecting options for fittings and furnishings, provided by Homewards partners, including B&Q and Bosch Home Appliances to help residents settle in quickly and improve tenancy sustainment.

During the visit, Prince William saw first-hand how the development has progressed from the groundworks being laid during his first visit in 2024 to homes that are now ready for the first residents to move in.

The Prince toured one of the new homes and visited the on-site hub, meeting staff from St Petrocs who will be delivering support to residents, as well as former St Petrocs clients who have been involved in shaping the development.

Across the UK, there are significant barriers to delivering supported housing developments like this. As a Homewards Activator Partner and socially responsible landowner, the Duchy of Cornwall plays a pivotal role in unlocking the pace, quality and long-term commitment that can often be difficult to achieve.

Nansledan is not just a housing development; it is a demonstration of the Homewards model in action showing how homelessness prevention can be delivered through strong local partnerships, lived-experience insight and practical solutions. This approach offers a best-in-class example of supported housing that can be learned from and scaled elsewhere, helping to make homelessness rare, brief and unrepeated.

Max Hedges, formerly supported by St Petrocs: ‘When you’ve experienced homelessness, it can take a long time to recover. It’s important to set up residents to succeed by making sure they have a fridge so they can have healthy, fresh food, and a washing machine so that they can feel clean and presentable. These are the secret ingredients to helping people to create and sustain a safe, secure and stable home and never return to homelessness.’