West Suffolk Local Plan 2045 Timetable
The government has published legislation and guidance that requires all local authorities to change the way they prepare local plans. To ensure we meet the new legal requirements we have published a new local plan timetable.
The new timetable formally replaces our February 2025 local development scheme and timeline.
Below is the current timetable for preparing the West Suffolk Local Plan 2045, which will cover the administrative area of West Suffolk. This timetable may be updated as the plan progresses.
This timetable takes effect from 16 June 2026.
Publish local plan timetable and Notice of intention to commence Local Plan preparation - June 2026
Publish Local Plan timetable in accordance with new plan making regulations and government template. Publication of notice to commence local plan preparation under regulation 19 (1).
Notice date for local plan scoping consultation publication - June 2026
Date that notice of scoping consultation will be made available under regulation 20 (1) (b).
Local plan scoping consultation (six weeks) June 2026
A local plan scoping consultation will be undertaken for a period of six weeks from 16 June to 28 July 2026 where representations will be invited in accordance with regulation 20(4).
Gateway 1: Self-assessment and readiness - October 2026
Publication of document setting out details of how you have got ready for plan making, marking formal commencement of plan-making for purposes of 30-month timeframe in accordance with regulation 21(3)
Notice for plan content and evidence consultation publication - May 2027
Date that notice will be published of plan content and evidence consultation available under regulation 23(1)(a).
Consultation: proposed local plan content and evidence (six weeks) - May to June 2027
Consultation (six weeks) on the proposed local plan content and evidence, including draft vision, any proposed aims and objectives, the proposed spatial strategy, summary of the evidence that we intend to gather, details of evidence already gathered, initial draft policies in accordance with regulation 23(4).
Gateway 2 (four to six weeks) - September 2027
Seeking observations from PINs to support early resolution of potential soundness issues and progress towards the 'prescribed requirements'. Gateway 2 will take between four to six weeks. Published in accordance with regulation 26 (Gateway 2).
Notice for proposed local plan consultation publication - June 2028
Date notice will be published of proposed local plan consultation under regulation 27(1)(a).
Consultation: proposed local plan (eight weeks) - June to July 2028
Consultation (eight weeks) on the proposed local plan and supporting documents. Published in accordance with regulation 27(4).
Gateway 3 (four to six weeks) - September 2028
Testing of the Local Plan has met the 'prescribed requirements' and can proceed to Examination. Published in accordance with regulation 31.
Submit plan for examination - October 2028
Submission of local plan for examination under section 15D (1) of the act.
Examination - October 2028 to March 2029
Examination of the local plan against the tests of soundness set out in national policy.
Adoption - May 2029
Adoption of local plan following examination under Section 15EA of the act.
West Suffolk Local Plan 2045 timetable CSV download
West Suffolk Local Plan 2045 housing requirement data set CSV download
This CSV files contains the information above and will be updated when changes have been made and when milestones have been met.
The data within this file is being provided to government under the Open Government Licence.
