Rural Planning Bulletin Autumn 2026
Better planning, better places
waypointplanning.co.uk
The Waypoint Planning team recently attended the Suffolk Design Festival at The Apex, Bury St Edmunds, joining planners, designers and placemakers from across the region for a day of inspiration and discussion. Highlights included talks from Chris King on celebrating Suffolk's identity, Wayne Hemingway on the importance of community-focused places, and sessions exploring future neighbourhood design, inclusive placemaking and the role of heritage in shaping successful developments. The team also took part in the 1,000 Years of Planning tour of Bury St Edmunds, gaining insight into how the town's history continues to influence its character and public spaces today. A fantastic day that reinforced the value of thoughtful design, strong communities and understanding local identity when creating better places. Thanks to Suffolk Design for organising such an engaging event.
The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government has adopted the revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) following consultation earlier this year. The updated Framework represents one of the most significant changes to England's planning system since 2012, introducing reforms aimed at supporting housing delivery, economic growth, infrastructure provision, climate objectives and rural development. As the key policy document guiding planning decisions across England, the revised NPPF will have important implications for Local Plans, planning applications, appeals and land promotion opportunities. Waypoint Planning is reviewing the changes in detail and will be sharing further guidance on what they mean for landowners, developers, businesses and local communities. If you would like to discuss how the revised NPPF may affect your land, property or development proposals, please get in touch with the team or follow our social media channels for future updates.
In Focus: Our Architectural Services
Dan Hewett Head of Planning Isaac specialises in rural planning, from Class Q/R and permitted development to residential and solar, with a commercially minded approach informed by his experience in real estate and estate agency, and his training at UCL's Bartlett.
With experience at national consultancies and developers, Dan specialises in rural, residential, and commercial planning, leading projects, securing consents, and managing stakeholder engagement
Tomas combines a passion for placemaking with international planning knowledge, helping to create sustainable, engaging places through practical and imaginative solutions. He is committed to giving clients confidence and clarity throughout the planning process.
Jonathan Squire William has joined our team for his placement year to enrich his knowledge of Rural Enterprise and Land Management. He will combine his learning with real-life experience to enrich our team and support his personal development
Jonathan combines design and planning expertise to help clients maximise opportunities. With experience in masterplanning, farmstead layouts, and development appraisals, he takes a creative, design-led approach to every project
East Suffolk Council's latest Call for Sites is now open, with submissions invited until 5pm on 16 November 2026. The Council is seeking sites for a variety of potential uses, including housing, employment, community facilities and leisure development. Submitted sites will be assessed as part of the preparation of the new East Suffolk Local Plan. Submission does not guarantee allocation or planning permission. If you would like support identifying, assessing or promoting land through the Local Plan process, please contact our Planning Consultancy Team.
Although most Call for Sites exercises have defined submission deadlines, some authorities continue to accept certain types of development proposals beyond these periods. For example, Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils are continuing to consider employment and strategic B8 (storage and distribution) sites on a rolling basis. For landowners, this means opportunities to promote land may still exist even if the most recent Call for Sites exercise was missed. Early engagement can help ensure that sites are considered as Local Plans continue to evolve.
Waypoint Planning is proud to launch a new service, the Planning Clinic. The service is a no-fee, no-commitment online meeting aimed at providing you with the clarity on feasibility, constraints and next steps of your next project. Understanding the planning environment can be incredibly complex in some cases, with considerations to be made throughout a range of disciplines including Ecology, Highways, Environmental Quality, Design, Landscape and Planning Policy. Our team of experts in the Planning Clinic will look to provide clear advice, direction and if necessary, establishing a sensible steer on what the next-steps should look like in pursuit of your project ideas.
Get in Touch Whether it's a rural development, residential scheme or strategic land opportunity, we provide clear, commercially focused planning, design and development advice to help unlock your site's potential. How we can help: • Strategic Land Promotion & Development Advice • Planning Applications, Appeals & Pre-Application Advice • Masterplanning & Site Development Strategies • Placemaking & Design Consultancy
Better planning, better places waypointplanning.co.uk Swallow Barn, Moseley’s Farm Business Centre, The Green, Fornham All Saints, Bury St Edmunds, IP28 6JY
01284700727 advice@waypointplanning.co.uk