Prince Charles asks council to pass his 'twee' design for palace

The Prince of Wales supports a design for a new entrance to the palace - once home to Princess Diana - which has been likened to "twee garden furniture" by its critics.

His charity The Prince's Foundation for the Built Environment has written to Kensington and Chelsea planners urging them to approve the scheme, designed by one of the prince's favourite architects, John Simpson.

Councillors, advised by planning officials to turn down the proposal as "detrimental" to the Grade-I listed palace, vote on it tonight.

The Standard understands that the prince has taken an enthusiastic role in overseeing the proposals for Kensington Palace, which is run by the Historic Royal Palaces organisation.

The agency is keen to push through the application to finish the project in time for the Queen's diamond jubilee in 2012. The Queen is understood to approve of the plans.

But objectors claim the cast-iron portico - or loggia - will ruin the east facade of the palace, commissioned by William III and Mary II in 1689 and designed by Sir Christopher Wren.

Daniel Moylan, the Conservative deputy leader of Kensington and Chelsea, told planning officials: "It [the loggia] is decoratively over-elaborate and almost embarrassingly twee and although designed by a leading architect, one could easily imagine it being replicated in a garden furniture catalogue." Other opponents include the Kensington Society, which called the design "too dominating and overly detailed", and the Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings. However, English Heritage supports the plan.

Classical architect Mr Simpson was selected by a panel which included representatives of The Prince's Foundation. The foundation's design director, Ben Bolgar, urged planners to pass the scheme, saying: "We believe it [the loggia] would bring the palace to life once again and unite it with its much-loved gardens."

The foundation admitted today that it has commented on "only a couple" of planning applications in the past two years. But its chief executive Hank Dittmar defended the intervention: "Surely it is not surprising that The Prince's Foundation has been asked to help on one of the royal palaces."

John Barnes, director of conservation and learning at Historic Royal Palaces, said: "Every element of the scheme, including the loggia, has been carefully considered. The proposals are supported by national bodies, experts, community groups and local people."

Charles has come under fire for interfering in the modernist design of a £3billion development at Chelsea Barracks, which was scrapped.

Clarence House today denied the prince was trying to influence the design for Kensington Palace. A spokeswoman said: "The planning permission is obviously up to the council."