Replacement St Edmundsbury
Borough Local Plan 2016

FOREWORD

The elected members and officers of St Edmundsbury Borough Council are delighted to present the Replacement Local Plan 2016 that was adopted on 27 June 2006. The Plan is the result of a considerable amount of work that commenced in 1999 and has involved extensive public participation in formulating its policies and proposals. The process culminated in the examination of the Plan at a Public Inquiry presided over by a government Planning Inspector between October 2005 and January 2006. The Inspectors recommendations from the Inquiry were binding upon the Council.

St Edmundsbury is facing considerable pressure for growth and the policies and proposals in this Plan not only provide a framework to accommodate this in a sustainable manner, but enable the area to play its part in the growth of the East of England’s economy. At the same time, the policies in this Plan will ensure that the special environmental qualities of the borough will remain and, where possible, be enhanced.

Although the Plan sets out how development will be accommodated in the borough to 2016 it does not take into account the new East of England Regional Spatial Strategy. The new Local Development Framework for the borough, which will eventually supersede this Plan, will make provision for the policies of that Strategy.

In the mean time, the Council looks forward to implementing the policies and proposals in this Local Plan to help make St Edmundsbury a better place to live.

Councillor Peter Stevens
Chairman, Planning Policy Panel 2004-6