East Suffolk Council
Supplementary Planning Documents and other guidance
Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) and Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG) provide additional guidance on matters covered by the Local Plan and are material considerations in decision making.
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Adopted Documents
Other guidance
Other guidance documents, produced by East Suffolk Council or others, are listed below. These have not been produced as Supplementary Planning Documents but may also be relevant in decision making. Also see Local Plan evidence base.
| Guidance | Description |
|---|---|
| Interim Housing Position Statement (2025) | Was published in response to the latest National Planning Policy Framework and outlines East Suffolk Councils new 5 year housing land supply position. |
| Houses in Multiple Occupation ‘Exceptional Circumstances’ Guidance Note (2024) | Guidance clarifying the application of the ‘exceptional circumstances’ test under Waveney Local Plan policy WLP8.4 (Conversion of Properties to Flats) relating to proposals for the conversion of buildings to Houses in Multiple Occupation. |
| Shopfront best practice guide | Guidance for shops in historic towns including why design is important, works requiring planning permission and key features of a good shop front. |
| Biodiversity Net Gain Interim Guidance Note | Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) is a way to contribute to the recovery of nature while developing land. It is making sure the habitat for wildlife is in a better state than it was before development. |
| Cycling and walking strategy | Helping to make cycling and walking in East Suffolk, whether for work, school or leisure, safer, more convenient and more desirable for all ages and abilities. |
| Environment guidance note | Information on key environmental issues relating to the building industry, assisting those seeking to mitigate the impact of construction on climate change. |
| East Suffolk Play Area Strategy | Identifies all known forms of play provision across East Suffolk. The Strategy includes an assessment of the quality and value of all sites, and identifies localised gaps and shortfalls in types of provision. The Strategy will help ensure that a planned approach to play provision takes place in East Suffolk, ensuring that communities have access to high quality, inclusive play facilities to support their health and wellbeing. |
| East Suffolk Leisure Strategy | Provides evidence on local needs for new or improved open space, sport facilities, and equipped play provision, and East Suffolk’s priorities for its delivery. The Strategy seeks to ensure that new development provides healthy environments that support movement, play and wellbeing for all ages and abilities. |
| Suffolk Design: Streets Guide (2022) | Provides design guidance on active travel infrastructure and placemaking for safe, healthy and accessible movement networks to support people to walk, cycle or wheel for utility or leisure. This document supersedes the Suffolk design guide for residential areas (2000). |
| Green Infrastructure Strategy (2015) | Covers the former Waveney area and aims to improve green spaces and connections between them to create a network to benefit communities, wildlife and the wider environment. |
| M4(2) Checklist - Accessible and adaptable dwellings | A checklist to help meet the requirements of Building Regulations Part M: Access to and use of Buildings, which impacts the design and layout of homes and needs to be considered at the early design and Planning stage of development. |
| Suffolk guidance for parking (2019) | Ensuring that applications include an appropriate level and location of car parking and cycle parking provision and pedestrian footpaths and cycle routes. |
| Section 106 Developers Guide to Infrastructure Contributions in Suffolk (2012, updated 2014) | Developers guide to infrastructure contributions in Suffolk |
| Design guidance for landing stages at Southwold Harbour (1997) | Design guidance for anyone considering replacing or constructing a landing stage at Southwold Harbour. |
| Gosford Road, Beccles revised development brief (1998) | The general principles of development expected in a redevelopment scheme at Gosford Road. |
| North Denes caravan site note on implementation (2010) | The future proposed use of North Denes caravan site. |
| Woods Meadow draft development brief (1993) | The general principles of development expected in a redevelopment scheme at Woods Meadow. |
Superseded Documents
| Document | Area covered |
|---|---|
| SPG 15 - Outdoor playing space (2001) | Former Suffolk Coastal area |
|
Open Space provisions and developer contributions (2012) Superseded on 12 June 2024 by the Healthy Environments SPD |
Former Waveney area |
|
Development and coastal change (2013) and map of Corton to Lowestoft and map of Kessingland to Southwold Superseded on 5 September 2023 by the Coastal Adaptation SPD |
Former Waveney area |
|
SPG1 Redundant Buildings in the Countryside (1991 and updated in 2004) Superseded on 1 June 2021 by the Historic Environment SPD |
Former Suffolk Coastal area |
|
SPG 2 - Affordable housing (2004) Superseded on 3 May 2022 by the Affordable Housing SPD |
Former Suffolk Coastal area |
|
SPG6 Historic Parks and Gardens Superseded on 1 June 2021 by the Historic Environment SPD |
Former Suffolk Coastal area |
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SPG 9 - Suffolk Design Guide for residential areas (2000) Superseded in 2022 by the Suffolk Design: Streets Guide |
Former Suffolk Coastal area |
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SPG13 Historic Buildings: Repairs, Alterations and Extensions (1997) Superseded on 1 June 2021 by the Historic Environment SPD |
Former Suffolk Coastal area |
|
SPG14 Shopfronts, Signs and Advertisements (2000) Superseded on 1 June 2021 by the Historic Environment SPD |
Former Suffolk Coastal area |
|
Affordable housing (2012) Superseded on 3 May 2022 by the Affordable Housing SPD |
Former Waveney area |
|
Built heritage and design (2012) Superseded on 1 June 2021 by the Historic Environment SPD |
Former Waveney area |
|
Renewable energy and sustainable construction (2013) and Planning Policy Position Statement Superseded on 5 April 2022 by the Sustainable Construction SPD |
Former Waveney area |