More focus should be made to encourage the development of smaller sites on the edge of the current urban areas. Although many of these are currently classified as Green Belt they often:
- contribute little to the purpose of the Green Belt.
- relate closely to the surrounding urban area.
- Access to exiting infrastructure and services already exists.
- form part of an irregular urban / Green Belt boundary.
CFS047 is an example of this. Better to develop more like this, as opposed to large open spaces, productive agricultural land, or areas prone to flooding.
Smaller sites
- are less likely to land bank.
- integrate better with the existing built environment.
- are developed by local builders, keeping the economic benefits of house building in the local economy.
Option 2 makes mention of smaller sites, as does the NPPF. Smaller sites on the edge of the existing settlements should be developed in preference to large sites.