Nick Raynsford, the former local government and construction minister, has criticised Prince Charles for being out of touch with the county’s housing needs.

Raynsford, who lost his ministerial post in the reshuffle after the election, branded the prince “old-fashioned” in his campaigns to preserve some historic architecture.

His comments on GMTV’s The Sunday Programme follow remarks the prince made last week in which he called for the conservation of some Victorian buildings. The prince’s comments were interpreted as expressing unease at the government’s plans to demolish thousands of 19th-century terraced homes in northern cities – known as the Pathfinder projects.

Raynsford defended the regeneration schemes, which the government says will result in the demolition of about 10,000 houses that are impossible to sell or rent.