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The submitted sites have been assessed to see whether they are "suitable", "available" and "achievable". They are assessed against specific criteria.
For example, the Housing Site Assessment Criteria considers factors like proximity to other settlements, availability of services like schools, doctors, shops and public transport, accessibility from the existing road network, utility services, drainage and flooding, landscape character, heritage/ archaeology, ecological value and economic viability of the site.
Crucially, the sites that come through this process will not automatically become the draft housing allocations in the Local Plan. The assessment outcome is just one of a number of technical evidence documents which will be used to determine the most sustainable locations for growth.
198 sites are deemed worthy of further review following the assessment; however this includes some duplicate sites so in reality this is approximately 150 sites.
The sites are only assessed on individual merit at this stage. This means that although a site on its own might not be deemed suitable, available or achievable, when it is considered in combination with another site or group of sites some of the issues are resolved so it could be taken forward in conjunction with other sites.