PRINCE Charles spoke in Brighton today about his vision for the future of housing.

In a keynote speech delivered to the annual conference of the Housing Corporation, he spoke of designing new and regenerated neighbourhoods.

The Prince arrived to warm greetings from members of the public waiting outside the Metropole.

But one woman waving an anti-fox hunting poster yelled: "You disgust me."

omeless

After the conference, the Prince was taken on a guided tour of the derelict West Pier by the Lord Lieutenant of East Sussex, Sir Lindsay Bryson, to see how restoration work is progressing.

He was then meeting two homeless people due to move into newly-refurbished flats in College Road, converted by the William Sutton Trust and the Brighton Housing Trust.

At the conference, The Prince spoke at length about his vision for the design of future housing developments.

He said: "How heartening it would be if we could see far more attention being paid to the layout of new housing, by housing developers of all types, and especially to the reintroduction of more traditionally-scaled streets and squares, which might begin to restore pedestrian, rather than motor car priorities.

"Let's do more to involve local people more closely in the shaping of new development, whether on greenfields or within towns and cities.

"Surely everyone should have the opportunity to live in a place where the quality of buildings and public spaces which they frame, is elegant and which brightens their lives.

"Th ability to walk to a shop, to school or even to work; the provision of squares, parks and public spaces for casual encounters, children's play and relaxation.

"These are the raw materials for successful urban living."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.