Coed Darcy was planned as a £1.2bn eco village inspired by King Charles’ model at Poundbury, with thousands of homes, schools and shops designed to create a self-contained community.
Thirteen years later, only a fraction of the homes have been built, and a small test hamlet of nine mock-Georgian eco homes remains completely unoccupied.
The stalled project raises questions about the practical challenges of delivering sustainable housing at scale and what lessons can be applied to future eco developments.
What was built in the eco village?
In 2013, a test hamlet of nine Georgian-style eco homes was completed on the Coed Darcy site in South Wales, on land formerly occupied by an oil refinery near Port Talbot. These homes were designed to showcase sustainable construction methods.
Beyond the hamlet, around 294 homes were eventually built, but key community facilities such as schools, shops, and medical services were not delivered.
The test homes now stand discoloured, partially boarded up, and isolated from the rest of the village by undeveloped land, creating a striking image of empty streets in a project intended to demonstrate sustainable living.
Why did the project fail?
Several factors prevented Coed Darcy from becoming the thriving eco community it was designed to be.
Filmmaker Jay Curtis, who documented the deserted hamlet with a drone, described the scene as “like a village that time forgot” and said “it just looked completely abandoned.”
He compared it to a post-apocalyptic film set and added: “There’s no real clear answer… to have that level of hype, a Royal visit, and such ambition – and then to see it all just left – it amazes people. These are big, expensive homes. There are a lot of them. And no one ever moved in.”
While a small number of homes were built, essential amenities such as schools, shops, and healthcare were never completed, making it impractical for residents to move in.
Broader economic challenges and long planning permission processes also delayed construction, and revisions to the masterplan scaled back the number of homes, leaving parts of the site undeveloped.
Lessons for future eco homes
Coed Darcy illustrates the importance of combining sustainable construction with functional, liveable communities.
For eco housing to succeed, homes must be accompanied by accessible amenities so residents can live and work locally, reflecting the principles of a 15-minute neighbourhood.
The project also shows that ambitious design must be balanced with practical delivery and phased construction. Future eco villages can learn from Coed Darcy by ensuring that housing, infrastructure, and community facilities are ready for occupation, creating communities that are truly sustainable and attractive to residents.
