Prince William launches £250,000 fund to regenerate Dartmoor village near prison

The Prince of Wales is set to unveil a new regeneration fund next week aimed at supporting the remote rural community neighbouring Dartmoor prison.

William will travel to Princetown on Tuesday to launch The Princetown Community Fund – which will provide at least £250,000 to back locally driven social, economic and environmental initiatives in the moorland village.

The future monarch is no longer personally receiving the contentious £1.5 million yearly rent generated by the disused prison, following a change revealed earlier this year.

William requested that the sum be excluded from the multimillion-pound income he collects as heir to the throne from the Duchy of Cornwall from 2026-27 onwards, with the funds instead directed towards revitalising the local community.

A Dispatches and Sunday Times probe in 2024 revealed the duchy entered into a £37 million agreement in 2022, before Charles ascended to the throne and William became Prince of Wales, to lease Dartmoor Prison to the Ministry of Justice , generating £1.5 million annually over 25 years, alongside a contract with the Ministry of Defence permitting the armed forces to conduct training on Dartmoor land.

However, the category C prison in Devon has stood vacant since July 2024 after elevated levels of radon, a toxic gas occurring naturally in soil and rocks which can trigger lung cancer, were detected in prisoners' accommodation. The new fund, to be administered by Devon Communities Together, will offer grants of between £500 and £40,000, along with guidance for organisations seeking financial support.

It forms part of the Prince's broader vision for the Duchy to channel more than £500 million over the next ten years into local communities, housing, regional economies, renewable energy , agricultural resilience and environmental restoration.

The official visit coincides with the Duke of Sussex's 42nd birthday, yet William, who remains estranged from his brother, has so far made no public comment on Harry's return to Britain.

William will drop in on Gather & Moor, a brand new community and cultural hub at the heart of Princetown, developed by the Duchy of Cornwall, where he will also meet representatives from heritage business Princetown Press.

He will further engage with local residents who have played a key role in shaping a shared vision for the Devon village, before heading to its youth club, which has already benefited from Duchy funding to upgrade its facilities.

The Princetown fund will build upon the groundwork laid by the Princetown Place Strategy and the Encounters Shop initiative.