West Suffolk Council planning applications
Data as of 5 November 2026
West Suffolk Council decided more than 2,200 planning applications in the twelve months to 5 November 2026. It refused 6% of those it approved or refused, lower than the middle UK council (9%), and took a median of 55 days to decide one.
Look up one application
Search by reference or address on West Suffolk Council’s own planning portal. Or ask Claude, with the PlanningLedger connector, to find it and read its officer report and decision notice (mcp.planningledger.com).
Recent major decisions
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2 November 2026 · Approved
Land South Of Cavendish Road Cavendish Road Clare Suffolk · DC/25/1913/RM
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22 October 2026 · Approved
Land Ne Haverhill English Way Haverhill Suffolk · DC/26/0280/RM
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2 October 2026 · Approved
Suffolk House Fordham Road Newmarket Suffolk CB8 7AA · DC/26/0985/P3CMA
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6 August 2026 · Approved
Land At Access Road From Brandon To Fenhouse Farm Brandon Suffolk · DC/25/0885/FUL
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17 July 2026 · Approved
Former St James Ceva Middle School The Vinefields Bury St Edmunds Suffolk · DC/23/0600/FUL
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10 July 2026 · Approved
Land North Of Mount Road Rougham Suffolk · DC/25/0410/OUT
Figures for West Suffolk Council
| Applications decided | more than 2,200 |
|---|---|
| Share refusedof those approved or refused | 6%middle UK council 9% |
| Median time to a decisionfrom the valid date | 55 daysmiddle UK council 55 days |
| Householder applications refusedextensions, lofts, outbuildings | 4%of more than 420 decided |
| Appeals decidedin the last three years | more than 110 |
| Appeals allowedof those decided on their merits | 29%about one in three |
| Officer reports and decision notices searchable | back to 2017 |
| Local Plan policies held | more than 230plan adopted 2025 |
What inspectors decide appeals on
In their own words, from recent appeal decisions on West Suffolk Council’s planning applications.
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“The main issues are: • the effect of the proposed development on the supply of employment floorspace; and • the effect of the proposed development on highway safety.”
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“I will merge the first and second reasons for refusal under the same main issue, as both cover effects on the trees in the short and long term. 7. The main issues are: • Effect of the development on the…”
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“The main issues in this appeal are: • Whether the proposed development would be in an appropriate location for new housing with particular regard to the spatial strategy in the development plan, accessibility to services and facilities, and its effect…”
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“The main issues are: i) whether an appropriate location for development having regard to the development plan policies, its countryside location and accessibility; ii) the effect of the proposal on highway and pedestrian safety; iii) the effect of the proposal…”
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“The main issue in this appeal is the effect of the proposed development on the character and appearance of the area”
How we count, and what each figure leaves out: methodology. The council’s own register is the record, and each application links to it.