Given that the existing urban and suburban sites have the capacity to provide in excess of 19,000 homes between them and that development in rural areas will demand a significant transport infrastructure for which funding no longer exists. It is important that the focus of the local plan is on the urban and suburban areas where sustainable communities adjacent to existing public transport hubs are more easily achieved.

Development of the rural areas should only be proposed if development of 1900 homes over the plan period cannot be fully provided for within the urban and suburban areas and only if funding has been secured and implemented for the public transport hubs as outlined in the now failed HiF bid.