4.47 The Issues and Options report presented, in Option S3, three scales of growth for development below Yeovil in the settlement hierarchy (the level for Yeovil being fixed at that time by the RSS). These were development in the Market Towns only, development in a limited number of both Market Towns and Rural Centres and development more evenly spread across all Market Towns and Rural Centres. A mixed response was received. Sustainability Appraisal was undertaken as a key mechanism for choosing a preferred option.

4.48 Three detailed options were appraised as illustrated in Figure 5:

• Option 1: Dispersed growth (current dispersed development rates occurring 2006 - 2009 were projected over the plan period)
• Option 2: Balanced growth (Development focussed in Market Towns and Rural Centres/other settlements in a 2:1 ratio hence Rural Centres would achieve around 5,800 dwelling completions in the plan period
• Option 3: Concentrated growth (concentrated in the Market Towns solely after accounting for the development that has occurred within the District to date since 2006). 

4.49 The main findings of the Sustainability Appraisal were that:

4.50 On the basis of this assessment the second option for balanced growth is preferred.

4.51 In moving from the broad strategy of balanced growth existing commitments need to be reviewed, and potential and constraints to growth considered in line with the settlements' identified roles and functions and local aspirations for growth. This work was undertaken in the context of the workshops with Town and Parish Councils and other stakeholders on a settlement by settlement basis and is set out in more detail in the next section.

4.52 The overall outcome is set out in summary form in Figure 6: Proposed Settlement Hierarchy and Scale of Growth (housing) and in policy SS4 below. The key parameters emerging from this work and determining the outcome in terms of proposed growth for settlements and in particular the Market Towns and Rural Centres are :-

• Housing development within the District will be through redevelopment and infill development as well as through conversion of buildings and, on occasion, residential mobile homes;
• Greenfield development will be required for both Yeovil and Chard and these are the subject of strategic location and allocations provisions within this Strategy;
• Other Market Towns and Rural Centres are expected to require greenfield development at some time over the plan period and indications of location are given;
• These will come forward as and when required in time to provide a continuing supply of housing land through appropriate planning applications that will have been trailed in the first instance by the identification of suitable, available and viable land through the Strategic Housing Land Availability Assessment (SHLAA) process in partnership with key stakeholders and, crucially, private sector developers and registered affordable housing providers;
• Chard's larger scale development is in recognition of its size and potential, due to its high degree of self containment and is reflected in the positive planning proposals emerging from the Chard Regeneration Framework. Recognition is also made of the infrastructure phasing and requirements and the market limits to development rates that would indicate that development of the appropriate scale for Chard would entail a build out of the whole site beyond the plan period, with a realistic provision within the plan period of 1,700 dwellings;
• Crewkerne's current level of provision, including the key site provision from the outgoing local plan, should be implemented in the plan period and provide the opportunity to secure an appropriate level of growth for the town;
• Wincanton's current level of provision, with additional growth proposed will provide an important opportunity for growth in the relatively remote location (from the centre of the housing market and travel to work area)  thereby providing an important local focus in the east of the District;
• The provision of 500 dwellings over the plan period was considered an appropriate level of growth for the remaining Market Towns to reflect their status and secure opportunities to maintain and enhance local services and facilities;
• The provision of 300 dwellings over the plan period was considered an appropriate level of growth for the Rural Centres where local factors did not dictate otherwise to reflect their local importance and to secure opportunities to maintain and enhance the more modest local services and facilities, by comparison with the Market Towns;
• The recognition that local factors may restrict development at South Petherton, Ilchester and Stoke sub Hamdon;
• Whilst development outside Yeovil, and the Market Towns and Rural Centres will be heavily restricted and constrained to that which justifies a rural location, there will be opportunities for proposals that are commensurate with the scale and nature of settlements and which could increase their sustainability by developing housing in these locations. This is explained in Policy SS2 in this Strategy.
• As a consequence of this policy (SS2) the nil residual additional housing provision for other settlements in Policy SS4 and illustrated in Figure 6 is likely to be exceeded by an, at present, unknown number. The "windfall" status of such provision precludes the presentation of an estimate in Policy SS4 (and in Figure 6).

4.53 Development areas are identified for Yeovil, Market Towns and Rural Centres and are shown on the proposals map accompanying the Core Strategy

4.54 Figure 6