Temple Cloud

Temple Cloud, located immediately to the south of Clutton, functions as a local service centre with a broader range of facilities, including a primary school, healthcare provision, and local shops. It benefits from a strategic location on the A37 corridor and has a comparatively moderate connectivity score. The village plays an important role in supporting the wider rural area, though it faces infrastructure pressures, particularly in relation to air quality, with the A37 designated as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). Additionally, it is important to note that the nearby village of Farrington Gurney is also designated as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). Any proposals for development within this broader locality should therefore give due consideration to the cumulative impact on air quality, ensuring that measures are in place to safeguard environmental standards both in Temple Cloud and Farrington Gurney.

In Temple Cloud, the council considers the north of the village, focused on the Upper Bristol Road/A37 corridor, to be the most appropriate location for planned growth given its proximity to bus stops on the A37 and opportunities to connect to existing services. A planning application for 65 dwellings in this area was refused in 2022; however, in light of the increased housing requirement it is considered appropriate to test growth at this location through the Options consultation. The site is being tested for up to 90–120 homes, but the final capacity would likely be lower due to landscape, ecological, and access constraints (notably Temple Inn Lane).

A larger, strategic option on land further east could deliver a masterplanned scheme with a further capacity for 230-300 homes, phased to ensure infrastructure and environmental capacity is in place. Later phases would depend on measures to address the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), transport improvements, and provision of community facilities. There is also mapped presence of Potential Priority Habitats Delivery, if confirmed, this would increase the Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirement for the site. This would likely impact the overall capacity. Further ecological evidence will be required to assess habitat quality and ensure compliance with national policy on biodiversity enhancement. The site would be guided by a masterplan and design code to secure connectivity, green infrastructure and locally beneficial outcomes.

Connectivity scores shown in the site options below are based on the Department for Transport’s A–J grading, where A is the highest within B&NES.