06 Jan 2026
Consultation has begun on a planning document which aims to help all involved in the delivery and development of new affordable homes in West Suffolk.
The Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) is primarily aimed at developers as well as registered providers who manage affordable housing schemes on a day-to-day basis.
Once adopted, the SPD will serve to provide further guidance on the application of existing affordable housing policies in the adopted West Suffolk Local Plan adopted in July 2025 and will help deliver the council’s strategic priority for affordable, available and decent homes.
As the local housing authority, West Suffolk is responsible for helping people in housing need, the majority of whom are from West Suffolk or have a local connection. There are a few exceptions such as veterans, people fleeing domestic abuse, and care leavers.
Affordable housing is housing for sale or rent, for those whose needs are not met by the market and includes a number of tenures including affordable rent (around 80 per cent of market rent levels) social rent (which is lower than affordable rent) discounted market sales, shared ownership and other routes to home ownership
Cllr Richard O’Driscoll, Cabinet Member for Housing at West Suffolk Council said: “There is a huge need for more affordable housing in West Suffolk. High rents and a lack of affordable housing is a significant factor in the number of households that at risk of homelessness that we help. We also have close to 2,500 households on our affordable housing register including around 850 in urgent or high need.
“We recognise that the challenges around housing is not something we can tackle on our own. That’s why our Housing, Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy sets out a partnership approach, and we recently held a very positive developer forum which discussed working together to deliver more homes that are genuinely affordable.”
Cllr Frank Stennett, the Cabinet Member for Planning at West Suffolk Council said: “One of the ways we are also looking to address the need for more affordable homes is through the West Suffolk Local Plan adopted in July last year. It includes a new policy requiring 40 per cent of new homes on greenfield sites to be for affordable housing against the old requirement of 30 per cent.
“This Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document complements the local plan with further guidance all with the purpose of aiding the delivery and development of new affordable homes here in West Suffolk.”
The purpose of the consultation is to double check that the SPD provides clear guidance for the application of adopted Local Plan affordable housing polices for developers, registered providers and others involved in affordable housing delivery.
The Affordable Housing Supplementary Planning Document consultation runs to 17 February. The draft SPD can be read online where people can leave their feedback. Hard copies can be viewed at West Suffolk House, Mildenhall Hub and Haverhill House.