Supplementary Planning Documents, Guidance & Briefs

Following the adoption of the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan Development Plan Document (November 2023), a number of supplementary guidance notes were revoked in Mid Suffolk.

View previous supplementary guidance notes

Ashes Farm Development Brief and Delivery Framework (November 2016)

View the Ashes Farm Development Brief and Delivery Framework (2016)

The Stowmarket Area Action Plan (2013) allocated 'The Ashes' for a mix of residential development and open space. In April 2016, following on from meetings with the landowners and their agents, the Council commissioned a team of consultants to facilitate discussions and prepare a delivery framework to identify and assess the constraints and develop viable solutions. The framework has provided options that will overcome the site constraints, increase the potential capacity and tested viability.

Chilton Leys Development Brief (SPD)

Chilton Leys Development Brief Document: document available on request
Adoption Notice
Consultation Statement

The development brief was adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on 16th December 2013. It has been prepared to guide development on this large allocation where complicated issues may arise. It enables the developers, the public and councils to become aware of issues and to become involved in dealing with them before planning applications are decided. This process will help to avoid delays during the formal consideration of planning applications and will provide a degree of certainty to the programming of the development.

Due to the size of this allocation the development brief takes the form of an SPD which is a key tool in developing broader planning policy. This is capable of being a material consideration in determining planning applications but it does not form part of Mid Suffolk's development plan. The Development Brief takes the form of a 'spatial masterplan' and sets out a framework for the evaluation of future planning applications, for all phases of delivery, to ensure the overall vision and development objectives are delivered comprehensively across the whole allocation. The Development Brief establishes land uses, relationships between these land uses with each other and surrounding areas, the phasing of development and, design principles including the appearance of character areas. It also sets out the massing and scale of buildings, illustrates the movement and accessibility considerations and sets out infrastructure provision.

Consideration was given to comments received during the consultation period which took place between Monday 16th September 2013 and Friday 25th October 2013. The Development Brief has been amended to incorporate suggested changes. Further detail can be found in the Schedule of Representations and Recommendations document.

Mill Lane Development Brief (SPD)

The Stowmarket Area Action Plan (SAAP) (adopted February 2013) allocated a green field site to the south of the A14 and to the west of the A1120 for employment use, open space, leisure and recreation. This area is referred to as the Stowmarket Business and Enterprise Park. Chapter 4 of the SAAP requires a 'Development Brief' to be produced before an application for planning permission is submitted. It is the Council’s intention to adopt the Development Brief as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD).

The Mill Lane Development Brief was adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document by the Council's Executive Committee on Monday 10th March 2014.

See also the developer's website at Gateway 14

Edgecomb Park Development Brief (SPD)

The Stowmarket Area Action Plan (SAAP) (adopted February 2013) allocated land off Farriers Road and Poplar Hill (Map 6.7). This area is referred to as “Edgecomb Park” in the above brief. Mid Suffolk District Council adopted the Brief as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) on the 13th October 2014 following two rounds of public consultation. The development brief will inform decisions on planning applications for the allocation.

Land South of Union Road Development Brief

Land South of Union Road (Draft) Development Brief (April 2016): document available on request
View the Land South of Union Road Planning Statement (April 2016)

The Stowmarket Area Action Plan (2013) identifies land to the south of Union Road as a location that is appropriate in principle for future additional housing development. In line with the requirements of the Area Action Plan, a development brief has been produced for this site.

The Council aims to ensure that any proposals for development conform to the aspirations of the local community, Onehouse Parish Council, Stowmarket Town Council and Mid Suffolk District Council. Comments were invited on the content of a draft Development Brief prepared by the agent during a four week consultation period that closed on 31st May 2016. The agent also produced a Planning Statement which set out their reasons for submission of the brief.

The Council will now consider all of the comments received in relation to the draft document and these will be fed back to the agent so that they may produce the final version.

Social Infrastructure incl. Open Space, Sport & Recreation (SPG) (2007 with 2010 update)

View SPD - Social Infrastructure incl. Open Space, Sport & Recreation

The Social Infrastructure (SPG) was updated in April 2010 to update the provision costs in line with inflation. This amended Tables 2, 3 and 7.

Planning Position Statements

Mid Suffolk District currently has one adopted Planning Position Statement, which addresses Renewable and Low Carbon Energy.

This was adopted by the Council at its Council meeting on 26 October 2023. The Statement sets out the Council’s position on renewable and low carbon energy developments.