Thank you to everyone who took part in this consultation. All feedback received will be considered and used to inform the future stages of plan-making.
A summary of the feedback received, will be published following Gateway 1.
Consultation on the Ipswich Borough Council Local Plan 2026 – 2045 (‘the Local Plan’) Scoping Consultation ran between 12:00 (midday) on 8 July and 12:00 (midday) on 2 September 2026.
The Local Plan helps guide decisions about future development in the area. It looks at what the area needs and what opportunities are available. It covers topics such as housing, jobs, roads and services, and the environment. The Plan shows where new development should happen and where it should be limited or not allowed. Councils are legally required to prepare a Local Plan.
The new Local Plan will be based on a wide range of evidence and will go through several stages of public consultation, giving residents and other interested groups opportunities to share their views.
During this early stage of preparing the new Local Plan, we asked residents, businesses and organisations for their views on:
- The most important issues facing Ipswich
- The priorities and opportunities for the Local Plan
- The best methods to gather and share information with you.
- Some further specialist topics covering the Town Centre, history/culture and new buildings and services.
Feedback received during the consultation
A full survey form was created for this consultation to help gather as much information as possible.
A shorter version was also made available for those with less time to give their thoughts. It used a simple scoring system to give us a quick picture of what mattered most to respondents.
Statutory consultees were encouraged to complete full survey form, as it covered a broader range of topics in greater detail.
Further guidance on the consultation and things to consider when answering the questions was made available.
Local Plan Scoping Consultation Guidance Note
A printable format form was available upon request.
Privacy Statement
Your privacy is important. For further information about how we use your data please visit www.ipswich.gov.uk/your-council/policies-plans-and-strategies/privacy-notice and Planning and Development Privacy Notice (PDF)
The feedback received will help us identify the key themes and priorities that will guide the next stages of the plan.
Local Plans and Local Government Reorganisation in Suffolk
Suffolk local authorities have been working together on local plan preparation to support a consistent approach and effective cross-boundary working ahead of Local Government Reorganisation and the anticipated creation of three new unitary authorities in April 2028.
Across Suffolk, local plan timetables have been aligned and the preparation for the scoping consultation (Regulation 20), the first stage of consultation in the local plan process, worked on collectively. It should be noted that the style of questions asked across Suffolk may vary slightly between authorities to reflect the priorities of individual councils.
For more details on the already published Local Plan timetable and Notice to Commence a Local Plan, please use the links below:
Strategic Environmental Assessment Scoping Report
A Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) is an approach to testing the Local Plan as it is prepared, to inform decisions. The SEA Scoping Report establishes the framework against which the Local Plan policies and alternatives options will be assessed. The Council consulted the Environment Agency, Historic England and Natural England on the SEA Scoping Report and was also published alongside the Local Plan Scoping Consultation for anyone who wished to make comments. The SEA Scoping Report can be found here: SEA Scoping Report
Alternatively, comments could be emailed clearly marked them as for the SEA Scoping Report to planningpolicy@ipswich.gov.uk. Comments had to be received by 12:00 (midday) on 2 September 2026.