Prince Charles has offered to arbitrate the most significant planning applications in the country after the quango that used to do the job was axed.
If the Prince’s Foundation for the Built Environment did take over from the quango Cabe, the prince’s favourite architects could soon be making decisions on landmark developments.
The rumours have sparked fears among contemporary architects who worry the prince may use the role to create a more traditional skyline, in line with his own personal preferences.
However, the foundation’s chief executive Hank Dittmar said that the foundation would reflect a variety of stylistic preferences.
“To be credible, it would have to have democratic, independent judgment,” he told Building Design magazine.
“We would have to have a panel that was balanced and not exclusively traditional architects. We’d have to talk to our network and assess the market. It would need to pay for itself but we wouldn’t be doing it to make money,” he added.
This comes after the annual spending review in which the government axed nearly 200 quangos, which is predicted to make around 10,000 redundant.