West Suffolk planning committee decisions
37 decisions from the committee's minutes, 4 Jun 2025 to 5 Aug 2026. Each sets out what was proposed, what officers advised, what was said and how the committee decided.
1 in 7 decisions went against officer advice
Above the rate across all 346 councils with committee decisions on Plota (11.1%), 63rd highest of 205 councils with at least 15 decisions.
- Decisions
- 37
- Approved
- 89.2%
- Against officer advice
- 13.5%
- Unanimous
- 100%
How West Suffolk compares
Share of decisions against officer advice at the 205 councils with at least 15 decisions on Plota. Each dot is a council.
| 61 | Wrexham | 14.3% | 4 of 28 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62 | Croydon | 13.6% | 6 of 44 |
| 63 | West Suffolk | 13.5% | 5 of 37 |
| 64 | Cotswold | 13.3% | 4 of 30 |
| 65 | Chichester | 13.3% | 4 of 30 |
Source: Plota analysis of committee minutes from 346 councils.
More or less favourable than its officers?
West Suffolk's committee is less favourable to applicants than its officers. Officers recommended approval in 97.3% of these decisions; the committee approved 89.2%, 8.1 points fewer.
Across all 346 councils, committees approve 2.6 points fewer than their officers recommend, so West Suffolk leans further against applicants than most.
Over the 37 decided applications with a clear officer recommendation.
Source: Plota analysis of West Suffolk's planning committee minutes and officer reports.
What it decides
89.2% approved and 10.8% refused. Of 19 decisions with a recorded vote, 19 were unanimous.
Show as a table
| Month | Approved | Refused | Other |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 25 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 25 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 25 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Dec 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 26 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 26 | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Jun 26 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 26 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
Source: Plota analysis of West Suffolk's planning committee minutes.
When it overrules its officers
5 of 37 decisions went against the planning officers' recommendation.
Which way
What kind of application
From the 4 of 5 with a recorded application type; one application can count under more than one.
Source: Plota analysis of West Suffolk's planning committee minutes and officer reports.
Recent decisions against officer advice
- 35 projecting signs14 Prospect Row Bury St Edmunds SuffolkOfficers advised approval because the signs were modest, safe and respectful of the Arc’s character.Refused
- Up to 60 homesLand South Of Hopton Road Barningham SuffolkOfficers advised approval because the allocated site could accommodate up to 60 homes with mitigation, conditions and a legal agreement.Refused
- 40MW solar farmLand Off Poulters Lane Horringer SuffolkOfficers advised approval because renewable energy and biodiversity benefits outweighed landscape, heritage, agricultural land and other harms.Refused
- Amended footway plansGeorge Hill Nurseries Barningham Road Stanton SuffolkOfficers advised approval because the amended footway would retain a mature tree and electricity poles while maintaining a route into the village.Refused
- Rear home extension34 Nether Street Rougham SuffolkOfficers advised refusal because the extension would harm the cottage’s heritage character and lacked required bat information.Approved
Latest decisions
Newest first. Each links to the full write-up: the proposal, the officers' advice, what was said and the vote.
August 2026 3
- Two heat pumps and door9 Short Brackland Bury St Edmunds SuffolkApproved
- Supermarket and drive-throughLand North Of Rougham Hill Bury St Edmunds SuffolkApproved
- 42MW solar farmLand South Of Knox Lane Bardwell SuffolkApproved
July 2026 2
- One dwellingDevelopment Site Stoke Road Clare SuffolkApproved
- 187 homes and primary schoolLand Off Crown Lane Crown Lane Ixworth SuffolkApproved
June 2026 3
- Bus stop condition variationLand Opposite Kingshall Farmhouse Kingshall Street Rougham SuffolkApproved
- 35 projecting signs14 Prospect Row Bury St Edmunds SuffolkRefused
- Temporary construction accessLand North East Of Bury St Edmunds Bury Road Great Barton SuffolkApproved
April 2026 2
Other committees nearby
- Babergh Mid Suffolk planning committee
- Basildon planning committee
- Bedford planning committee
- Breckland planning committee
- Brentwood planning committee
- Broads planning committee
- Broxbourne planning committee
- Cambridge planning committee
- Castle Point planning committee
- Central Bedfordshire planning committee
- Chelmsford planning committee
- Colchester planning committee
- Dacorum planning committee
- East Cambridgeshire planning committee
- East Hertfordshire planning committee
- East Suffolk planning committee
- Epping Forest planning committee
- Fenland planning committee
- Great Yarmouth planning committee
- Harlow planning committee
- Hertsmere planning committee
- Huntingdonshire planning committee
- Ipswich planning committee
- Kings Lynn planning committee