18.1 The table on the next page displays the sustainable access to key services and facilities ranking of each village and settlement, based on whether the settlement and surrounding area is outside or within the Green Belt. Certain settlements appear in both categories as the surrounding area contains non-Green Belt and Green Belt locations.

18.2 Sites adjoining settlements in all ranking tiers will be considered as potential allocations, in line with the sequential approach set out as step 1 of the methodology and then subject to steps 2 to 4 of the assessment methodology.

18.3 However, it should be noted that the scoring or ranking of a settlement will not be the only determinant of whether or not potential housing sites are progressed as an allocation in the PSP Plan. Further assessments of a sites suitability and deliverability are set out in sections 19, 20 and 21.

18.4 The scale of growth appropriate in individual villages and settlements will be considered as part of step 2 and should respect the character of the existing settlement.

18.5 If no sites are proposed in villages and settlements, then no allocation can be made

18.6 Villages and settlements in all tiers may be suitable for continuation of infilling subject to local and national policy and subject to conformity of proposals with other development plan policies. This will allow for limited further growth and in line with our windfall allowance. Further development opportunities in all tiers can be considered by the community within a Neighbourhood Plan.

18.7 At this stage no analysis of the capacity of key services and facilities to support further growth has been undertaken. Therefore there is potential for settlements to move into different ranking tiers when this is taken into account. Similarly growth may deliver enhancements to facilities and services that cause a settlements' sustainability to improve.

18.8 Contextual demographic information on existing population size and dwellings numbers needs to be considered in parallel to this assessment, to inform whether a proposed site would proportionally be sustainable and appropriate in a rural location. This assessment is set out in Step 2, below.