EIGHT years after launching a Master’s programme to protect the future of cities from rapid urbanisation, the Prince of Wales returned to Kellogg College in Oxford to see how his vision had panned out.

The Prince’s Foundation has since built new communities all over the world including a new town in Dorset and creating an urban village in Swansea from a refinery.

His Royal Highness met with current students and alumni responsible for many of the projects which aim to keep green space despite the demand for more housing.

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Professor Jonathan Michie, president of Kellogg College, said: “We were delighted His Royal Highness chose to visit Kellogg to see the inspiring work being done in collaboration with the Prince’s Foundation.

“We are addressing the threats posed by unplanned urban growth and realising the opportunities created from global urbanisation - to help create more resilient and sustainable cities for future generations.

He added: “It was eight years ago we started the programme and it’s wonderful to have the Prince of Wales coming back to meet current students and alumni.

“It was his idea in the first place and he is so passionate about this.”

The programme and Foundation have been working nationally and globally but with its Kellogg College base set to become a more permanent home, Oxfordshire could be set to benefit too.

Senior director at the Prince’s Foundation Ben Bolgar said that with projected housing numbers growing they may turn to local landowners.

He said: “It’s about bringing together a network of landowners and getting them on board with our ideals, and certainly it would make sense to approach Oxford colleges and large landowners locally.

“Developers have been getting away with murder with some of the rubbish we have seen built in recent years and it’s about a triangle of communication with local authorities, developers and community groups to get it right."

He added: “Prince Charles is incredibly passionate about this, he wants everything done yesterday.”

The Prince of Wales also met His Excellency U Kyaw Zwar Minn, ambassador of Myanmar to the UK and a group of Myanmar delegate studying ‘Sustainable Urban Development’ on a week-long course at the college.

The Myanmar representatives were being given the tools to build new communities but in the sustainable, environmentally-friendly mould Prince Charles and the Prince’s Foundation believe in.

Although he was busy with delegates and course leaders the Prince of course found time to chat to students at the college.

As he wondered around the college’s new hub he shared a jovial conversation with a group of students who had gathered round to see the heir to the throne.

Sociology student Samantha Woodcock said: “He was very nice, he asked us if we were doing the masters programme he set up - but I said we weren’t and we were gatecrashing the event, thankfully he laughed.

“He wanted to know how we liked Oxford.”

Jasmine Reimer, who is doing refugee and forced migration studies, said: “He was very pleasant - he asked if we had lots of exams and then said he was glad he didn’t do exams, speeches were enough for him.”