West Suffolk a finalist in regional Planning Authority of the Year

09 Jun 2026

West Suffolk Council has been named as a regional finalist for Planning Authority of the Year by the Royal Town Planning Institute.

The council has been shortlisted for Planning Authority of the Year – East of England in the RTPI’s Awards for Planning Excellence 2026.

The nomination follows a hugely successful year for the council, working together to deliver the first ever West Suffolk local Plan, which was adopted three months ahead of schedule.

Throughout the Local Plan process, the Council explored different ways to engage with the community, putting residents at the heart of shaping the first local plan. That included working with the Western Youth Assembly to develop materials to target different audiences. The Council also created an online interactive ‘village hall’ to engage with residents alongside public events.

The local plan adopted in July 2025, meant West Suffolk became one of the first councils in the country to introduce a requirement for 40 per cent of new homes on greenfield developments of ten or more homes, to be for affordable housing.

West Suffolk has also established the West Suffolk Developer Forum, bringing planning professionals from across the public and private sector to work collaboratively on the challenges facing local communities including the need for greater affordable housing delivery and infrastructure provision.

Cllr Frank Stennett, Cabinet Member for Planning at West Suffolk Council said: “This recognition from the RTPI reflects the professionalism and dedication of our planning service who, alongside members, work to secure the best possible outcome for our residents.

“They work to secure the new housing that our communities need as evidenced through our housing register and the public engagement that shaped our housing strategy. They work to support the growth and ambitions of the diverse range of business sectors that we are fortunate to have here in West Suffolk. And they work to serve our communities, securing funds for infrastructure including education, transport, heath, and community services. My congratulations to all in our planning service on being shortlisted for the regional award.”

The RTPI East of England Awards will be decided later this month, with the winners progressing to the national awards in October.
 

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