Timetable for new West Suffolk Local Plan for future development hit by national planning policy changes

The timeline for the new West Suffolk Local Plan – which will govern future development across Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket, Haverhill, Mildenhall and across West Suffolk – has been delayed as a result of national policy changes.

West Suffolk Council has adjusted the timetable to accommodate changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), which were announced by the Government before Christmas.

Changes to the NPPF should be published in the spring and inform the preparation of local plans.

A council spokesman said: “This means rather than consulting on the submission draft in the spring we will consult in the latter half of the year.

“The alternative to this would risk delays and increased costs further down the line, with the council effectively having to add in the NPPF changes and then reconsult.”

When it is finalised and adopted, West Suffolk Local Plan will cover up to 2040 and be used to decide planning applications and guide where development for new housing or employment can take place.

The draft plan completed its first stage of public consultation in 2020. Last summer another consultation was held on ‘preferred options’ for development sites.

The council spokesman said the Government was encouraging authorities currently preparing local plans to submit them to the inspectorate by June 25, 2025, at the latest.

The spokesman added: “This is a small adjustment; the council is over halfway through the process therefore the key decisions and policy direction will not be reviewed.

“The council continues to maintain a five-year land supply and deliver on its existing local plan sites. The adjustment is simply to ensure the council is preparing a plan in accordance with national policy.”

The future housing need identified by the Government means 15,200 more homes will be needed in West Suffolk by 2040. While 8,600 of these already have planning permission, at least 6,600 homes need to be identified through the new local plan.