Planning application to be submitted for Rougham Hill redevelopment

26 Jun 2025

A planning application to redevelop a derelict former household waste site in Bury St Edmunds creating around 80 new jobs, is to be submitted in the next few days.

West Suffolk Council which owns the site at Rougham Hill and is the applicant, is looking to improve the area which sits on a gateway into the town, create local employment, and generate rental income to help pay toward day-to-day public services the authority provides to residents across West Suffolk.

The site, previously a household waste recycling site, was openly marketed through Carter Jonas in 2022 to understand all potential active interests and uses. From that Aldi and Wendy’s have been selected as the council’s chosen tenants. Both Aldi and Wendy’s have signed agreements to lease buildings, which, subject to planning approval and construction tenders, will be built on the site over the next few years.

Public consultation was held from 26 March to 16 April. This was to further understand any planning issues that the council would need to address in its planning application.

The council received 102 responses and the majority – 58 - were in favour of the proposed development. Some of those in favour, as well as those against, raised concerns about traffic and as part of the planning application process Suffolk County Council highways will be consulted to advise on any measures that need to be included.

A spokesperson for the applicant said: “The proposed redevelopment aims to improve the look and feel of this important gateway into the town in line with West Suffolk Council’s strategic priority for sustainable growth. If approved, the redevelopment, which is subject both to planning permission and to construction tenders, would also create jobs and bring a site which once served as the household waste site visited by thousands of vehicles every week, back into use. It would also create income to support the costs of the public services that West Suffolk Council provides to residents, of which less than a fifth is paid for through council tax.

“We would like to thank everyone who made comments at the public consultation held in the spring. We have listened to the feedback and adapted our plans where appropriate. There will now be a formal statutory consultation as part of the planning application where people can make further comments relating to planning matters ahead of the planning application being decided.”

Both Aldi and Wendy’s have confirmed that if the development does go ahead it would create around 40 jobs at each of the two businesses.

The planning application is expected to be validated and published ready for people to view and comment on or before 10 July.
 

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