A Green Party councillor representing Clutton has voiced serious concerns about the impact of a proposed housing expansion in the village. Bath and North East Somerset Council’s draft local plan designates Clutton as a site for 330 new homes-a move that would increase the village’s housing stock by around 50%.
Sam Ross expressed dismay at the lack of prior warning about the proposal, highlighting the significant change this development would bring. “The scale alone is a huge shift for a single village,” she said, “but beyond numbers, the usual developer contributions for infrastructure such as GP services, secondary school places, and road upgrades tend to apply mainly to large urban developments. Smaller villages like ours often end up with new houses but without the necessary supporting infrastructure.”
Councillor Ross also warned about the village becoming a commuter dormitory. “Most residents currently travel daily to Bristol or Bath, which risks turning Clutton into a place where people merely sleep rather than truly live community lives,” she explained. Drawing from 25 years of village living experience, she added, “I’ve seen firsthand the harm this can cause to rural communities.”
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The local plan is a vital strategic document guiding housing development across the region for the next 18 years. While allocation in the plan does not guarantee immediate construction, it significantly increases the likelihood of planning permission being granted for such projects.
Neighbouring Farmborough, also represented by Ms Ross, is earmarked for 200 new homes under the plan-substantially more than the 55 to 83 homes previously considered for the area. Ms Ross only became aware of these increased figures upon the draft plan’s recent release.
She has formally raised her objections with senior planning officers and cabinet members, specifically concerning the scale of the housing increase and the absence of prior consultation with residents and their ward councillor. “In the coming weeks, I will be presenting these issues at cabinet meetings, full council sessions, and the scrutiny committee, and I encourage residents to submit their objections during the consultation period,” she urged.
The government’s directive to double Bath and North East Somerset’s housing target to 27,324 homes during the plan period has left the council grappling with sensitive development choices. To protect Bath’s World Heritage Site status, most new housing is proposed around Keynsham and the Somer Valley.
Council leader Kevin Guy acknowledged the challenges. “We had no choice regarding the target figure, and we remain concerned that local features such as the World Heritage status and the green belt were not adequately considered,” he said. “A large number of homes will inevitably be built. Our task is to manage growth responsibly through planning, rather than leaving decisions solely to developers.”
The draft local plan is scheduled for cabinet review on 10 September, followed by a six-week public consultation starting the week of 14 September. This consultation represents the final opportunity for residents to influence the plan before it is submitted to the government for approval. Once adopted, it will govern housing development and infrastructure decisions until 2043.