It may not have been the best weekend of the year for Prince Charles to launch his blueprint to solve the housing crisis faced by millions of young people.

After the furore over £2.4m of public funds being spent — so far — on the refurbishment of his younger son’s new home, the family’s attitude to housing might be accused of lacking the common touch.

But Prince Charles warns in a report published today by his charity, The Prince’s Foundation, of the struggle of the younger generation to find a home of their own. The housing blueprint for the 21st century says modern estates are unwanted by locals and are “a stain on the landscape”.

The report, Housing Britain, a Call to Action, outlines policies