Development Section

Suffolk County Council is responsible for determining planning applications for:

  • mineral extraction;
  • waste management facilities; and
  • its own development, for example, new roads, schools and fire stations.

It also provides highways advice to District Councils, developers and members of the public on planning applications and other proposals which affect the public highway.

Submitting Planning Applications

County Council development & Waste Management facilities applications

All County Council development and Waste Management facilities applications are submitted on the National Application form or online at www.planningportal.gov.uk.

Planning application forms can be downloaded from the Planning Portal.

To assist with online applications the below step-by-step Guides have been created:

Guide for County Council development applications (PDF, 1.49 Mb)
Guide for Waste Management facilities applications (PDF 1.63 Mb)

Minerals Applications


Minerals applications can be submitted using the Suffolk County Council Minerals Application form (PDF, 47.8 Kb) or through Suffolk County Council Online Planning Applications System.

To assist with Minerals online applications a Guide for Minerals Applications (PDF, 0.98 Mb) is available.

National and Local Validation Requirements

The Government has introduced new rules for the validation of planning applications. For an application to be valid and processed by the County Council, applicants will have to submit a minimum level of information with their applications.

The National and Local Validation Requirements to be used when submitting an application are below:

National Planning Validation Requirements (PDF, 411 Kb)
Local Planning Validation Requirements (PDF, 655 Kb)

Viewing submitted Planning Applications

Please visit the Suffolk County Council Online Planning Application system to:

  • See details of current or determined applications; or
  • To comment on current applications electronically. Search for the application on which you want to make representations then click 'submit comments about this application’;
  • See all applications on which the county council has been consulted as Highway Authority.

Please note: Where decision notices are displayed, they may not be signed or dated, as they are imported directly from the Planning Register system. However, they do still constitute the formal decision of the Planning Authority.

Related Pages

Documents relating to Development Section
Minerals and Waste Planning
Suffolk Local Transport Plan
Communities and Local Government
East of England Regional Assembly
Planning Officers Society
Planning Inspectorate
Specification for estate roads
Suffolk Design Guide for Residential Areas Review