East Suffolk Council
New charter produced for residential developers
A new ‘best practice’ guide for housing developers has been published, setting out East Suffolk Council’s aspirations for high quality and well delivered new housing developments.
The East Suffolk Developers Charter sets out ambitions in relation to:
- developers’ engagement with communities and stakeholders during the whole development process,
- the design quality of schemes, both in terms of appearance, function and sustainability, and
- the quality of the delivery process for supporting community wellbeing and environmental quality.
The Developers Charter provides developers of major residential developments with guidance on engaging positively and meaningfully with local communities and the Council throughout the planning and construction of new homes.
In taking forward the Charter, the Council will publicly recognise exceptional developments and approaches to engagement that have achieved high standards at the planning permission and/or construction stages of development.
The Charter represents an innovative and forward-thinking approach, bringing together the roles of developers, communities and the Council in delivering exceptional development and highlighting what could be achieved.
Ben Woolnough, Head of Planning, Building Control and Coastal Management at East Suffolk Council said: “All developers, both large and small, operating in East Suffolk have a critical role in positively shaping the future through the delivery of healthy, inclusive, biodiverse, resource efficient, and climate-change resilient developments that meet the district’s future development needs. East Suffolk Council is committed to supporting a more sustainable, healthier and happier district through the quality of its built and natural environments, and how this supports the health and wellbeing of our communities.
“Integral to achieving that is meaningful engagement between communities, the Council and developers. Developers who engage proactively and positively with communities and the Council throughout the planning and delivery process deserve to be celebrated and formally recognised and the Council have produced the Developers Charter to give structure to this formal recognition.”
Whilst the charter is aimed primarily at major residential developments, which comprise 10 dwellings or more, the Council would be happy to see the principles applied to smaller developments or other types of development, where applicable.
Engagement with the Developers Charter is entirely voluntary for developers and is not a material consideration in the determination of planning applications.