The Five-Year Housing Land Supply in East Suffolk: Opportunities for Landowners and Developers

Introduction

The planning system in England is founded upon the principle of a plan-led approach (NPPF, paragraph 11). However, government housing targets and the requirement to demonstrate a five-year housing land supply (5YHLS) mean that even well-prepared Local Plans can, over time, fall out of step with actual housing delivery.

Where a Local Plan is more than five years old, and a Council cannot demonstrate a 5YHLS, the presumption in favour of sustainable development — also known as the “tilted balance” — is engaged. This is a critical shift, as it alters the way planning applications for new housing are determined.

In East Suffolk, this situation now applies. Importantly, the Council has taken a refreshingly transparent and proactive approach in setting out exactly how this will be managed.

East Suffolk’s Current Position

In September 2025, East Suffolk District Council formally acknowledged that it cannot currently demonstrate a 5YHLS. The Council published its Housing Position Statement, setting out the implications for decision-making.

👉 You can read the full document here: East Suffolk Housing Position Statement (Sept 2025).

The Statement recognises that the “tilted balance” under NPPF paragraph 11(d) now applies. This means planning permission should be granted unless:

• The adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the NPPF taken as a whole; or

• Specific restrictive policies (such as Green Belt, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, designated heritage assets, or habitats sites) provide a clear reason for refusal.

  
  

This is not an abandonment of policy control, but it does shift the weight placed upon existing Local Plan policies — particularly those restricting development outside of settlement boundaries.

Implications for Landowners and Developers

Previously, proposals for housing outside of settlement boundaries in East Suffolk were likely to be refused in principle. With the tilted balance now in play, such sites can no longer be dismissed so easily.

Instead, the decision-maker must consider whether:

• The delivery of new homes, particularly in an area with under-supply, provides a strong benefit;

• The site can be considered sustainable in terms of access to services, transport, and infrastructure;

• Any adverse impacts (landscape, heritage, ecological) clearly outweigh the benefits of granting permission.

  
  

In practice, this opens the door to opportunities for landowners who may have had previous refusals or who had discounted the chances of success under earlier policy circumstances.

The Legal and Policy Context

The application of the tilted balance has been clarified in numerous appeal decisions and in case law. Notable authorities include:

• Gladman Developments Ltd v Daventry DC [2016] EWHC 1146 (Admin): confirmed that out-of-date policies (including those relating to settlement boundaries) attract reduced weight where a 5YHLS cannot be demonstrated.

• Suffolk Coastal DC v Hopkins Homes Ltd [2017] UKSC 37: the Supreme Court clarified the interpretation of policies relevant for housing supply and confirmed the presumption in favour of sustainable development as a “golden thread” running through plan-making and decision-taking.

• Recent appeal decisions across Norfolk and Suffolk consistently demonstrate that Inspectors will grant permission for sites outside boundaries where the benefits of housing delivery outweigh limited policy conflict.

  
  

This body of precedent means that applicants in East Suffolk are now in a much stronger position to argue for approval of sites that would previously have been refused.

Why East Suffolk’s Approach Stands Out

Many Councils faced with a shortfall in housing supply either resist acknowledging the position or seek to defend outdated policies with limited transparency.

By contrast, under the leadership of Ben Woolnough (Head of Planning & Building Control), East Suffolk has:

• Published a clear position statement, giving certainty to applicants.

• Acknowledged the reality of its housing land supply position, rather than seeking to obscure it.

• Committed to consistent decision-making, ensuring that applicants, landowners, and communities know the framework within which applications will be considered.

  
  

This approach deserves recognition. It promotes confidence in the planning system and provides a clear route forward for those seeking to deliver much-needed housing.

Opportunities for Site Promotion

For landowners, the current circumstances represent an important window of opportunity. Sites that may once have been considered unviable for promotion now warrant a fresh review. This includes:

• Edge-of-settlement sites where accessibility to services can be demonstrated.

• Previously refused applications where the main reason for refusal was conflict with settlement boundaries.

• Smaller rural sites that can contribute to housing delivery in sustainable villages.

  
  

Each case must be considered on its own merits, but the tilted balance provides a powerful new argument for granting planning permission.

How Meadows Can Help

At Meadows, we have extensive experience in assessing land for development potential particularly sites which are located outside settlement boundaries, preparing robust planning arguments, and promoting sites through both applications and appeals, as well as call for sites processes.

We can:

• Undertake a full assessment of your land, considering planning policy, sustainability, constraints, and opportunities.

• Provide clear advice on prospects in the current policy climate.

• Develop planning strategies tailored to maximise success, drawing upon recent case law and appeal decisions.

  
  

Conclusion

The publication of the East Suffolk Housing Position Statement represents a significant milestone. It acknowledges the challenge of meeting government housing targets while setting out a constructive and transparent way forward.

We commend Ben Woolnough and his team for their leadership and their pragmatic, refreshing approach. For landowners and developers, the message is clear: the planning environment in East Suffolk has changed, and opportunities now exist that may not have been possible before.

📩 If you own land in East Suffolk and would like to explore its potential for development, contact Meadows today for a professional review and tailored planning advice.