The West Suffolk Council met on Tuesday 12 May 2026 to formally commence the review of its Local Plan. Councillors approved the timetable, notice to commence, and scoping consultation for the preparation of a new West Suffolk Local Plan, which is required due to recent changes in national planning legislation.

West Suffolk Local Plan Timetable, Notice to Commence and Scoping Consultation

The council formally approved the commencement of the preparation of a new West Suffolk Local Plan, which is scheduled to begin in June 2026. This decision was made in response to updated national planning regulations, specifically the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023 and the Town and Country Planning (Local Planning) (England) Regulations 2026, which mandate a review of local plans within a 30-month timeframe.

Councillor Frank Stennett, Cabinet Member for Planning, moved the motion, explaining that the council's current Local Plan, adopted in July 2025, needs to be reviewed because its housing requirement is less than 80% of the government's latest assessment of housing need for West Suffolk. The adopted plan requires 765 homes per annum, while the government's assessment indicates a need for 1,194 homes per annum.

The approved timetable sets out key steps for preparing the new Local Plan, including milestones and consultation stages, over a 30-month period. This timetable will be a live document subject to regular review. A formal notice to commence local plan making will be published, marking the official start of the process. Additionally, a scoping consultation will be undertaken to gather feedback on how the council will engage with the public and what the new Local Plan should contain. This is a high-level consultation and does not present policy or site options.

Councillor Julia Wakelam seconded the motion, acknowledging the necessity of producing a new local plan despite the extended housing requirements.

Councillor Nick Clarke expressed his disappointment with the government's changes, stating, for it to be returned by somebody who just believes that they know better than us I think it's just wrong. It's putting us back. He argued that localism should involve working with local communities to determine housing needs.

Councillor Cliff Waterman, Leader of the Council, clarified that the current Local Plan remains in force until the new one is adopted and advised against engaging in political debate related to national issues.

The council voted to approve the motion, with all councillors in favour, no against, and no abstentions. Delegated authority was given to the Head of Planning, in consultation with the Portfolio Holder for Planning, to agree and publish the local plan timetable and to finalise and agree the Local Plan Scoping Consultation.

The new plan making regulations require the council to publish a formal notice of intention to commence local plan preparation by June 2026, alongside the local plan timetable. This notice will inform communities and stakeholders about when and how they can participate in the process. The scoping consultation, also to be published in June 2026, will seek feedback on the content of the Local Plan and the engagement strategy.

The report highlighted that failing to progress a new local plan would contravene the Local Plan Making Regulations 2026, potentially leading to intervention by the Secretary of State and an increased risk of speculative development. The council has applied for funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) to support the preparation of the Local Plan. The financial implications are covered by the council's budget, with an application for £120,000 in funding anticipated to be decided in March 2026. The preparation of the new Local Plan is expected to establish a revised suite of policies that will supersede the adopted West Suffolk Local Plan 2041.

The proposed Local Plan timetable includes key stages such as Gateway 1 (Self-Assessment and Readiness) in October 2026, Gateway 2 (Inspector's assessment of soundness) in September 2027, and Gateway 3 (Final assessment before submission) in September 2028. The examination of the Local Plan is scheduled from October 2028 to March 2029, with adoption anticipated in May 2029. The council has also declared an environment and climate change emergency, and the preparation of a new local plan is seen as significant for ensuring policies relating to climate change, the environment, and biodiversity remain up to date.