Chartered Town Planners Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk
Our planners have worked inside Suffolk’s councils, one of them leading the teams that decide planning applications for Babergh and Mid Suffolk. We spot what an officer will question, put it right before you apply, and see your application through to a decision.
From a holiday let to 269 new homes, no planning question is too small.
The Council’s-Eye View
Tap a note to see what a planning officer will ask, and what we do about it.
Policy
Trees
Heritage
Ecology
Design
Neighbours
Flood Risk
Access
Trusted on Suffolk Sites By
Why JBPL
Planning is a negotiation between people who want different things. Our team has worked for each of them: the officer writing the report, the applicant waiting on a decision, the neighbours with a worry and the advocate at appeal. That’s how we know what it takes to get a yes.
Five of our seven have worked in local government. Steven led Babergh and Mid Suffolk’s development management and heritage teams, and Jamie was a planning officer there. We know what an officer needs to recommend approval, and from 31 October 2026 the officer decides most small schemes outright.
Homeowners, farmers, businesses and national housebuilders, from a single holiday let to 269 homes. Taylor Wimpey, Bloor Homes, Denbury Homes and Mulberry Homes have all trusted us with Suffolk sites.
We run drop-in events and parish council meetings for applicants, and we act for people facing development next door, as we did for Haughley Park at a public inquiry.
When a decision goes to appeal, we prepare the case and give evidence. Steven has given evidence at public inquiries for Babergh and Mid Suffolk, and in 2025 we helped Ipswich Borough Council defend a refusal.
Who We Help
Choose the one that sounds like you. We’ll carry it into your enquiry so you don’t have to explain twice.
Extensions, annexes, garden plots, listed homes and lawful development certificates, or a worry about something planned next door.
For ExampleA holiday let in a conservation area at Cavendish, approved in 2022.
Start HereDiversification, holiday lets, glamping, conversions, self-build plots, and putting land forward for the Local Plan.
For ExampleWild camping and shepherd’s huts on a family farm at Harkstead, in the AONB.
Start HereNew premises, extensions, change of use, car parking, energy projects and relocations, planned around keeping you trading.
For ExampleA new depot for TruckEast at Woolpit, then consent for homes on their old site.
Start HereSite promotion, outline and reserved matters, design codes, Section 106 and planning committee, from people who know how the council will read it.
For Example150 homes at Long Melford for Bloor Homes, approved after a deferral at committee.
Start HereClear advice on a proposal near you, objections that focus on the planning points that count, and a voice at committee or appeal.
For ExampleHaughley Park’s case against housing next door: appeal dismissed in 2021.
Start HereAppeal support and expert planning evidence for local planning authorities, from people who know the job from the inside.
For ExampleIpswich Borough Council’s refusal north of Mitford Close, defended at appeal in 2025.
Start HereWhat We Do
One team from the first site visit to the decision notice, and beyond if it goes to appeal. We lead the project, because it’s called a planning application for a reason.
Find out what a site can be before you commit to it.
The right application, put together properly and managed to a decision.
When the answer is no, or the council starts asking questions.
Get land into the plan, and keep it there.
Bring the community with you before the application goes in.
Track Record
Every pin is a decision with JBPL as the planning agent, from a holiday let in Cavendish to 250 homes at Haverhill this summer, and every one links to the council’s own record.
Boundaries: ONS, OGL v3. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2024. Pin positions are approximate.
1,636 homes consented across the projects shown, plus business, rural, heritage and appeal wins.
Showing 6 of 28 wins.
North-East Haverhill, West Suffolk
Reserved matters for 250 homes, 72 of them affordable, with allotments and open space on the strategic site at the north-east of the town. Approved by West Suffolk Council in July 2026.
Stanton, West Suffolk
Reserved matters for the first phase of 137 homes on land east of Bury Road, including affordable housing, drainage and landscaping. Approved by West Suffolk Council in April 2026.
Bury St Edmunds, West Suffolk
Roof-mounted solar panels for Guildhall Feoffment Community Primary School, approved at West Suffolk’s planning committee in February 2026.
Barham, Mid Suffolk
Reserved matters for 269 homes and open space on land north-west of Church Lane, approved in March 2023 after Mid Suffolk’s planning committee endorsed the site’s design code.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Harkstead, Babergh
Up to four shepherd’s huts and six tent pitches on a family farm, approved under delegated powers after early talks with the council, the AONB team and the village.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Ipswich
We supported the council at a hearing to defend its refusal of up to 80 homes north of Mitford Close. The Inspector dismissed the appeal in October 2025.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
North of Haverhill, West Suffolk
Reserved matters for 95 homes, 42 of them affordable, with roads, parking and public open space on parcel A9. Approved by West Suffolk Council in May 2026.
Stowmarket, Mid Suffolk
Reserved matters for Phase 2C of Northfield View: 234 homes, public open space and infrastructure, approved at Mid Suffolk’s planning committee in 2022.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Long Melford, Babergh
A contentious site, deferred by Babergh’s planning committee in July 2021. Talks with the parish and district councils improved the scheme, and the committee approved it that November.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Onehouse, Mid Suffolk
Reserved matters for up to 146 homes, some single storey and some affordable, with open space and play space. Approved in May 2022.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Stowmarket, Mid Suffolk
Reserved matters for Phase 2B: 100 homes including affordable housing, with open space, a footpath and a cycleway. Approved at Mid Suffolk’s planning committee in March 2021.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Elmswell, Mid Suffolk
Reserved matters for up to 86 homes, 30 of them affordable, with road widening, a cycle and footpath link and open space. Approved in August 2022, with the 150-year-old oak on School Road kept.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Stowmarket, Mid Suffolk
Outline consent for up to 65 homes, up to 22 of them affordable, on a lorry depot near the town centre, once we had helped the business move to a new site. Granted in October 2023.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Badwell Ash, Mid Suffolk
Reserved matters for 52 homes with landscaping, drainage and ecological works, approved at Mid Suffolk’s planning committee in April 2023.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Elmsett, Babergh
Full planning permission for 44 homes, 35% of them affordable, including bungalows. Approved at planning committee in October 2022, under seven months after the application was validated.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Old Newton, Mid Suffolk
Five self-build homes and community car parking for the primary school, after earlier schemes were refused on heritage grounds. Outline consent in February 2022; reserved matters in April 2025.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Battisford, Mid Suffolk
A hybrid consent for two homes with garages and a new access, parking and turning area. Granted in December 2023.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Bucklesham, East Suffolk
Conversion of a former pump house into a self-build home, keeping its historic character. Approved by East Suffolk Council in April 2025.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Woolpit, Mid Suffolk
Reserved matters for a purpose-built HGV workshop and depot at Lawn Park, so a business of more than fifty years could move out of central Stowmarket.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Woolpit, Mid Suffolk
A hybrid consent at Lawn Park Business Centre: storage and office space on two parcels, and outline consent for industrial, storage and office uses on a third.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Stowmarket, Mid Suffolk
Replacement and extended car parking across Muntons’ Stowmarket site, part of the business’s growth programme. Approved under delegated powers in July 2020.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Stowmarket, Mid Suffolk
A biomass boiler and energy centre at the Muntons site, designed to meet 73.3% of the site’s heat demand. Approved under delegated powers in September 2020.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Drinkstone, Mid Suffolk
Two new buildings for business and industrial use and a realigned access at Rookery Meade Farm, after pre-application talks with the councils, the parish and the neighbours.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Clopton, East Suffolk
Change of use of a farm barn to workshops for a family boat restoration business, approved by East Suffolk Council in July 2020 despite local objections.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Cavendish, West Suffolk
Change of use of a studio annexe at Farriers Stables to a holiday let, in the heart of the village, without harming the conservation area. Approved in September 2022.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Bradfield Combust, West Suffolk
A lawful development certificate confirming business and storage use of land, built on years of evidence and close liaison with West Suffolk Council’s legal team.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Haughley, Mid Suffolk
We acted for Haughley Park Ltd, objecting to housing next to the historic estate and its events business. After a public inquiry, the Inspector dismissed the appeal in March 2021.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
Brightlingsea, Essex
A retrospective (Section 73A) consent for a travel agency pod at Samson Road, working closely with Tendring District Council.
See the Decision (opens in a new tab)Read the Story (opens in a new tab)
In Our Clients’ Words
JBPL continues to secure important planning permissions for Taylor Wimpey East Anglia. James’ local knowledge and exceptional contacts has helped Taylor Wimpey to continue to deliver volumes of houses and important infrastructure across the region.
JBPL has continued to provide high quality planning advice and support to our planning applications in the region. It is a pleasure to work with James and his team.
James has continued to provide robust and proactive planning advice on several of our more complex strategic land assets for a number of years, which have resulted in successful planning outcomes through both applications and Local Plan promotions.
JBPL were recommended to Muntons as a trusted and well respected planning consultant in the local area. James has proven to be very efficient and knowledgeable in dealing with difficult planning matters.
He has understood the importance of Haughley Park and grounds in terms of its historical importance, and the unique opportunities it provides to the local community and to the wider area.
I am very grateful to JBPL for their on-going assistance with planning matters across Suffolk.
How It Works
No jargon and no surprises. At every stage you’ll know what we think and what happens next.
Call us, or send the address and what you have in mind. A chartered planner will get back to you to talk it through.
We look at the policies, the planning history and the constraints, then tell you honestly what’s likely and what it will take. If we don’t think it will work, we’ll say so.
We bring in the right specialists, from highways and ecology to heritage and drainage, talk to the council and the parish early, and submit an application that answers the officer’s questions before they’re asked.
We manage it to a decision: officer negotiations, planning committee, Section 106 and conditions. If it goes to appeal, we’re ready.
Our Team
Seven of us in Bury St Edmunds: chartered town planners, a senior planner and design lead, a planning assistant, and a head of admin and finance who keeps it all running.
Director
MA BA (Hons) MRTPI
Founded JBPL in 2020, after the City of London Corporation, Mid Suffolk District Council and a director role at Boyer’s Colchester office.
Associate Director
BA (Hons) LLB (Hons) MA MRes MSc MSt MRTPI
Formerly Strategic and Professional Lead for Development Management and Heritage at Babergh and Mid Suffolk, and an expert witness at public inquiries.
Principal Planner
BSc MSc MRTPI
Council policy work, then eight years in private practice. Turns business ideas, from holiday lets to wedding venues, into permissions.
Principal Planner
MSc MRTPI
A planning officer at Babergh and Mid Suffolk before joining JBPL in 2022, so he knows how applications are assessed.
Senior Planner and Design Lead
BSc (Hons)
Joined in 2026 from the housebuilding sector, where she designed residential layouts across East Anglia.
Planning Assistant
Studying for a master’s in town planning at Anglia Ruskin University, with a keen interest in sustainable transport.
Head of Admin and Finance
More than 30 years in local government, from the City of London Corporation to Suffolk County Council.
Careers
CVs are always welcome, from graduates to directors. Flexible working, full or part time, a competitive salary and a company pension.
CVs always welcome, from graduates to directors.
Careers (opens in a new tab)
Planning in 2026
The rules are moving faster than they have for years. Here’s what matters for anyone thinking about a site.
From 31 October 2026
House extensions, minor commercial schemes and developments of up to nine homes will be decided by council officers, and councillors can no longer call them in. For most small schemes, the officer’s view is the decision. Several of us have been those officers.
Talk to a Former OfficerSource: GOV.UK, Planning committees and the national scheme of delegation (opens in a new tab)
Applications Made From 1 April 2026
Most appeals now follow a faster written procedure. You can’t add evidence the council didn’t see, and neighbours can’t comment afresh. A weak application is much harder to rescue at appeal, so it pays to get it right first time.
Check My Application FirstRefused?
Householder and minor commercial refusals: 12 weeks from the decision notice. Most other refusals: 6 months.
Choose the type of application and the date on your decision notice.
New National Rules Since 17 August 2026
Babergh (4.68 years), East Suffolk (3.07) and Ipswich (3.46) can’t currently show a five-year housing land supply. Under the new national policy, homes on sites well related to a town or village there can be supported, at a scale the local infrastructure can take.
Ask About Your LandSource: GOV.UK, NPPF 2026, policies S4 and S5 (opens in a new tab) Babergh land supply (opens in a new tab) East Suffolk land supply (opens in a new tab) Ipswich monitoring report (opens in a new tab)
Call for Sites Open Until 16 November 2026
All five district councils have started new local plans running to about 2045, due for adoption around 2029. East Suffolk has reopened its call for sites until 16 November. The sites put forward now shape where homes go for the next twenty years.
Put Your Land ForwardSource: East Suffolk new local plan (opens in a new tab) Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan (opens in a new tab)
Applications Made From 6 August 2026
Sites of 0.2 hectares or less no longer need biodiversity net gain, unless priority habitat is affected. House extensions are still exempt, but self-build no longer is.
Source: GOV.UK, Biodiversity net gain: exempt developments (opens in a new tab)
Correct as of October 2026. Planning rules change often; we’ll always check the latest position for your site.
FAQs
Straight answers to the questions most people ask before they call. For anything else, ask a planner.
Call 01284 336 068Not always. Many extensions, outbuildings and changes of use are permitted development, and some need only prior approval from the council. The rules are tighter for listed buildings, conservation areas, flats and some rural sites.
If you’re not sure, ask us. Where the answer is no, a Lawful Development Certificate puts it in writing, which helps when you come to sell.
Once an application is valid, the council has 8 weeks to decide most applications, including householder ones, and 13 weeks for major developments, unless you agree more time in writing. In practice, more than half of minor applications in England needed extra time in the year to June 2026, and surveys and pre-application advice come first, so build them into your plans.
Read the reasons for refusal carefully: many can be overcome with a revised scheme. You can appeal within 12 weeks of a householder or minor commercial refusal, or 6 months for most others, and as little as 28 days if an enforcement notice has been served.
For applications made since 1 April 2026, most appeals are decided on the papers the council saw, so new evidence usually means a fresh application instead. Nationally, about a third of householder appeals succeed. We’ll tell you honestly which route gives you the better chance.
There are two parts. The council’s fee is set nationally: since April 2026 it is £548 for a householder application and £610 for each new home on a small scheme, and higher fees are planned from 8 December 2026 if Parliament approves them. Our fee depends on the job, from a short piece of advice to a strategic site. We’ll explain both before you commit to anything.
Sometimes. Permitted development (Class Q) can turn a farm building into up to 10 homes, up to 1,000 square metres in total, with prior approval from the council. It doesn’t apply in National Landscapes, the Broads or conservation areas, or to listed buildings, and Suffolk councils refused about a third of these applications in the year to June 2026. A careful check first saves a wasted fee.
Yes. We help neighbours and community groups understand a proposal, write objections that focus on the planning issues that carry weight, and speak at planning committee or appeal.
Often both. Your architect designs the scheme; we make the planning case, manage the application and deal with the council. It’s called a planning application for a reason. We work with architects across Suffolk and can recommend one if you need it.
Most of our work is in Suffolk, where we know the councils and their policies best, and we take on projects in neighbouring counties too, such as a recent consent at Brightlingsea in Essex.
Yes. We promote sites for landowners and promoters through Local Plans and Neighbourhood Plans, from the first call for sites to the examination, and we’ve done it for national housebuilders and family landowners alike.
Tell us the address and what you have in mind. A chartered planner will ask a few questions about the site and its history, tell you what we think, and explain what would happen next. If planning isn’t the hurdle you think it is, we’ll say so.
Talk to a Planner
A few details are all we need. A chartered planner will read your message and get back to you, whatever the size of the project.
“I was recommended to James via a friend, and I have found his approach to planning very refreshing following previous disappointments. I would highly recommend using JBPL.”
