Ovation in the chamber as joint Babergh and Mid Suffolk district councils’ local plan takes major step forward

An ovation was heard in the council chamber yesterday after a plan years in the making took a major step forward.

Last night, Babergh district councillors unanimously approved a joint local plan (JLP) together with councillors from Mid Suffolk, who did the same on Monday.

Work on the document started in 2016, with yesterday’s approval acting as the first of two phases of a comprehensive document to act as a ‘framework to guide future planning decisions’ until 2037.

With planning policy often convoluted and complicated – but described by Cllr Sallie Davies as a ‘cornerstone of democracy’ – the JLP is expected to bridge the gap.

Cllr Andrew Stringer, Mid Suffolk cabinet member, said the adoption of the plan represented a ‘significant milestone’ for both districts’ ‘development and sustainable growth’.

The second phase, expected to be approved in 2026, will provide further guidance to tackle ‘key social, economic and environmental issues’.

Cllr Davies added: “This is a long-awaited huge step forward that will help give clarity to developers as well as our communities.”

There was, however, some debate among representatives from both authorities relating to a policy requiring developers to meet a minimum of 10 per cent net gain biodiversity, with councillors arguing this was not ambitious enough.

Alongside the JLP, councillors from both authorities also had to approve a new local development scheme outlining a revised timetable for the production of the JLP’s second phase — also unanimously passed.