What the Prince's Foundation really thinks about tower blocks

The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment was excluded from considering the Arcade when it did its public consultation into the future of Walthamstow town centre. Why? Because the council had already made up its mind what was going there!
But in a recent interview with Property Week Prince Charles and the foundation’s chief executive, Hank Dittmar, speak openly on many issues... and they're very clear on tower blocks:
"Dittmar says the foundation was interested to explore how Walthamstow, in an outer London borough, could meet mayor Ken Livingstone’s target for affordable housing and how greater residential density was compatible with Walthamstow’s Victorian terraced houses.
"Dittmar asks: ‘How can you increase density without sticking people into tower blocks? If you ask Londoners about tower blocks, you find that they are only liked by investors in property.’
"The foundation looked at other boroughs and concluded that the four-storey houses of St John’s Wood or Swiss Cottage and the mansion blocks of Kensington and Chelsea provided density without towers. By developing along these lines, 2,500 homes could be built within a quarter of a mile of Walthamstow station."
We agree 100%. High density developments don't have to mean high rise. And a tower block would not be compatible with Walthamstow’s Victorian terraces. Such a shame then that the council excluded the Arcade from the consultation then. We smell a rat!
Read the Prince's Foundation report
Read what the Foundation thinks about tower blocks