it is considered that the Policy is too reliant on allocations (to deliver a total of 790 dwellings) via Neighbourhood Plans. There is no certainty that Neighbourhood Plans will be forthcoming to ensure all 790 dwellings will be delivered over the Plan period and a risk that such provision is, in effect, a secondary windfall allowance. It such an eventuality, the Policy cannot be sound or positively prepared.
An alternative approach would be to allocate additional housing sites within the Local Plan to deliver the additional 790 dwellings. Any additional allocations which are subsequently identified via Neighbourhood Plans would be commensurate with the overriding objective of delivering a minimum of 12,800 dwellings and boost the overall supply of housing, as required by the NPPF.
Suitable sites have already been assessed via the SHLAA process, therefore the evidence base for making such allocation is already in place.