Making a planning application

If you have established that planning permission is needed for a development, the next step is to make an application. You can apply online using the Planning Portal

Depending on the type of application, different documents will need to be submitted to make the application valid. If these documents are not submitted with the application it will not be submitted as valid and may be returned.

These requirements have been adopted in accordance with Paragraph 044 (Reference ID: 14-044-20140306) of the National Planning Policy Guidance (NPPG) and were formally adopted on the 20 June 2016.

Once an application is valid and registered, the planning case officer will visit the application site to assess the proposals. Officers are unable to make appointments for such visits but will make themselves known to the householder at the time of the visit if appropriate. If an officer is unable to view the site independently, they will make an appointment for a suitable time to visit.

January 2023 update - West Suffolk's Climate Change and Sustainable Building Planning Advice Note has been published and can be found on the Supplementary planning guidance page.

June 2018 Update - Please note, a full review has been undertaken of the adopted Local Validation Requirements. The existing list will remain unchanged at present. The Local Validation Requirements can be found through the application specific list, using the drop down box below.

For details of what you need to submit, select the type of application you want from the menu below. Click on the requirement within the application type for more information as to when it is required.

If you are not sure what type of application you need visit: Planning Portal - Choosing your application

If you are not sure if you need planning permission visit: Planning Portal - Do I need permission?