Nucleated village

A nucleated village, or clustered settlement, is one of the main types of settlement pattern. It is one of the terms used by geographers and landscape historians to classify settlements. It is most accurate with regard to planned settlements: its concept is one in which the houses, even most farmhouses within the entire associated area of land, such as a parish, cluster around a central church, which is perhaps close to the village green. Other possible focal points, depending on cultures and location, are a commercial square, circus, crescent, railway station, park or sports stadium.

A clustered settlement contrasts with these:

• dispersed settlement
• linear settlement
• polyfocal settlement: two (or more) adjacent nucleated villages that have expanded and merged to form a cohesive overall community

A sub-category of clustered settlement is a planned village or community, deliberately established by landowners or the stated and enforced planning policy of local authorities and central governments.