Councils ask communities to identify potential development sites

Residents, developers, landowners, businesses and other organisations are being invited to submit locations which could be considered for planned future development.

Babergh District Council, East Suffolk Council, Ipswich Borough Council and Mid Suffolk District Council will shortly start preparation of their new Local Plans.

The new Local Plans will set out a strategy identifying sites for development and set policies against which applications for planning permission are determined, alongside national planning policies and Neighbourhood Plans.

These will provide a blueprint for the future of each area – ensuring residents and communities have sufficient housing, employment and inward investment, that environment and heritage is protected, and the right infrastructure is in place.

As part of the early preparatory work, the councils are working together to launch a “Call for Sites’” beginning today, Monday, October 20.

The “Call for Sites” runs until 5pm on January 9, 2026, with the exception of Ipswich, which ends on Monday, December 15, 2025.

This invites submissions of land to be put forward for consideration to be included in Local Plans – for uses such as housing, employment, sports and leisure and community purposes.

These are not planning applications, and no site put forward will automatically see development take place.

The process involves a form to be completed by anyone wishing to submit sites. The form can be completed online, by email or by post.

Each suggested site will be considered by planning teams before it is decided whether it goes forward as a proposed Local Plan site allocation.

Decisions about preferred allocations will be based on a range of evidence and assessment, as well as through public engagement.

Sallie Davies, Babergh’s cabinet member for Heritage, Planning and Infrastructure, said: “We were left with no choice but to review our Joint Local Plan after the government almost doubled our housing requirements.

“The scale of this challenge is huge, so we want to work alongside communities, and neighbouring councils where possible, to plan for the housing growth being asked of us.”

Mark Packard, East Suffolk’s cabinet member for Planning and Coastal Management, said: “Land submitted through the call for sites will be assessed for its suitability for future development and considered for inclusion in the new East Suffolk Local Plan, which identifies where growth should take place to meet the needs of local communities.

“I would encourage landowners, developers and other interested parties to submit their sites for consideration.”

Carole Jones, Ipswich Borough Council’s portfolio holder for Planning and Museums, said: “The borough’s total housing need requirements have increased, and the new Ipswich Local Plan must prepare to meet this.

“This ‘Call for Sites’ enables the public submission of sites to the council for future development potential consideration and is the first key step in producing our next Local Plan, which will guide development in the Borough up to 2044.”

And Andrew Stringer, Mid Suffolk’s cabinet member for Heritage, Planning and Infrastructure, added: “We’ve already been working proactively with our communities as we look to meet the huge challenge of providing the number of homes the government wishes to see. We want every town and village to be able to shape their own future.”

The four district and borough councils have aligned their Local Plan timetables ahead of Local Government Reorganisation.

Babergh and Mid Suffolk are developing a Joint Local Plan covering both districts. East Suffolk Council’s Local Plan will replace the existing Suffolk Coastal and Waveney Local Plans. Ipswich Borough Council’s Local Plan will succeed its previous plan adopted in 2022.

More information about the “Call for Sites” consultation can be found on each council’s website.