East Suffolk Council are taking the lead on the masterplanning process to ensure that a coordinated and sustainable development comes forward which meets the needs of the new and existing community. Without whole-site masterplanning there is a risk that individual landowners will bring forward separate planning applications in isolation, creating an uncoordinated and piecemeal development.

It is also a priority for the Council to secure a site for a new leisure centre - which will replace the two ageing centres on the seafront and at Brackenbury - which is an integral part of the ESC leisure strategy. This will come forward as part of the masterplan and will enable the Council to progress towards detailed design and eventual delivery.

East Suffolk Council has multiple roles in this project – landowner and potential developer, leisure centre provider and Local Planning Authority.

As landowners of the part of the site, East Suffolk Council is leading the master-planning process, engaging with the other landowners throughout. There is the potential for East Suffolk Council to take on a developer role once the masterplan has been approved.

With a clear distinction between the roles of the Regeneration and Planning teams, officers are making sure communications between the teams are carried out appropriately.

East Suffolk Council are trying to ensure that the housing need as defined in the 2020 Local Plan can be met to ensure an adequate supply of housing to the region.

We know that as of August 2024 there are over 500 people, within Felixstowe, on bands A-E registered on Gateway to Homechoice (housing register scheme), of which over 200 people are banded A-C, which is considered high priority housing need. Gateway to Homechoice offers a portal for social housing landlords to advertise their vacant/or new built properties through (affordable rents). The North Felixstowe Masterplan should meet some of the demand for affordable housing in the area. We are aiming for a policy-compliant scheme which would bring forward 480 affordable homes. 

We also know that young families are struggling to get on the housing ladder as property prices continue to increase in the region. On the opposite end of the spectrum, we also know that people are struggling to find appropriate housing when they are looking to downsize after their families have grown up and moved out of the family home. This scheme has the potential to provide a range of housing types to help many potential residents both existing and new.  

The Suffolk Coastal Local Plan (2020) was prepared (up to submission for Examination) by the former Suffolk Coastal District Council, overseen by the Council’s Local Plan Working Group. Following Examination, the Plan was adopted in September 2020 by East Suffolk Council.  The Council’s Planning Policy and Delivery team undertook the preparation of the Plan. It was informed by a detailed evidence base and public consultation, and subject to rigorous Examination undertaken by an independent Planning Inspector. Once adopted, it superseded the Suffolk Coastal Core Strategy and Development Management Policies (2013) and the Felixstowe Peninsula Area Action Plan (2017). 

The key stages in developing the Local Plan are set out in summary below:

August 2017 –Local Plan Issues and Options document was published for public consultation.

July 2018 - First Draft Local Plan was published for public consultation, informed by the evidence base.

January 2019 - the Final Draft Local Plan (which was informed by consultation responses and revised evidence base) was published to invite representations in relation to soundness.

March 2019 – the Final Draft Local Plan was submitted for Examination by Suffolk Coastal District Council and the representations received along with the evidence base were considered by the independent Planning Inspector. The Examination, including Hearings and a consultation on Main Modifications, was held over a period of almost 18 months.

September 2020 – The Inspector’s report was received, finding the Local Plan ‘sound’ subject to making ‘Main Modifications’

September 2020 – The Local Plan was adopted by East Suffolk Council.

For more information, please visit Local plans » East Suffolk Council

The Suffolk Coastal Local Plan 2020 identifies where growth should be located and how it should be delivered for the former Suffolk Coastal part of East Suffolk. The Plan sets out the strategic and non-strategic planning policies which the Council will use to determine planning applications across the former Suffolk Coastal area. The policy for the North Felixstowe Garden Neighbourhood states that this new development will be delivered through a masterplan approach brought forward through landowner collaboration and community engagement. It also outlines what should be included in the master-plan which the Key Elements of the masterplan are based on.

Felixstowe, given its size, services and employment opportunities is deemed to be a major centre and is thus expected to provide a greater proportion of the Local Plan growth than smaller settlements. Felixstowe is the largest town in the plan area and has significant opportunities for future economic growth supported by the Port of Felixstowe, associated industries, and tourism. Felixstowe is well served in respect of services and facilities, minimising the need to travel to access employment opportunities and essential services and facilities.

A planning permission (reference DC/15/1128/OUT now known as Trelawny Place) was granted by appeal within the area now called North Felixstowe Garden Neighbourhood prior to the allocation being established. The creation of the current Local Plan allocation provided an opportunity to both complement this development and create a community. All allocations are informed by the Council’s sustainability appraisal and the site was a preferred option in the first draft of the Local Plan.

Providing a large Strategic site, as opposed to identifying lots of smaller sites has advantages. A large cohesive site means it can more readily provide important infrastructure such as schools, open space and allows for the new consolidated leisure centre.

Felixstowe lies within the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan area. The housing need across the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan area was calculated using the National Planning Policy Framework’s standard method. This involved using the published household projections and applying an uplift based upon house prices compared to earnings.

This calculation determined that 9,756 dwellings new dwellings were required across the plan period (2018-2036) based on a housing need of 542 dwellings per year. The Local Plan provides a strategy for meeting its housing need including the proportion of housing expected in its settlements and direct allocations like the North Felixstowe Garden Neighbourhood.

Felixstowe, given its importance to the UK, its size, services, employment and tourism make it a major centre (as defined by the local planning authority) and is thus expected to provide a greater proportion of the Local Plan growth than smaller settlements. Felixstowe is the largest town in the Local plan area and has significant opportunities for future economic growth..

The allocation at North Felixstowe forms part of the planned housing pipeline in the region. Most of the housing sites within the region which are currently being built – such as the Walton North Scheme - or currently in the planning system – such as Land North of Conway Close - are also allocated sites within the current or previous versions of the Local Plan. Some sites come forward that were not allocated within the Local Plan - these are known as windfall sites and the Local Plan provides for and anticipates some windfall development coming forward through its criteria-based policies (for example development within the existing built up area).

All allocated sites have been counted within the planned housing pipeline for the area covered by the Local Plan. Windfall sites when they are approved are also counted towards the future housing pipeline.

Further information can be found on the Local Planning Authority housing supply webpage: https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/planning/planning-policy-and-local-plans/open-data/housing-land-supply/

During the drafting of the Local Plan each allocation is site-specific, and the figure will depend on site opportunities, characteristics and constraints. At North Felixstowe the space requirements of key infrastructure such as open space and the new leisure centre were considered, and an appropriate dwelling number put forward that helps meet local need and is reflective of the settlement it is located in.

The number of dwellings now allocated cannot be lowered as it is part of the adopted Local Plan. If a lower number of homes had been allocated in the North Felixstowe Garden Neighbourhood, then homes would need to be allocated elsewhere and likely in less sustainable locations.

Decisions must be made in line with the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise. However, by not bringing forward the allocation there would likely be a shortfall in housing delivery in the district and this would encourage developers to put in applications on unallocated sites which would mean more unplanned and uncoordinated development.

Through the site allocation process the North Felixstowe Garden Neighbourhood Site has been identified as suitable for leisure-led development and the principle of development has been established.

To meet the districts housing need the Local Plan creates policies and allocates land in sustainable locations. Felixstowe is the largest settlement in the former Suffolk Coastal area with good levels of employment opportunities, transport links and services. The allocation of North Felixstowe Garden neighbourhood went through a rigorous process that was ultimately found sound during its examination.

If allocations are not delivered or they deliver significantly reduced amounts of housing then the Local Authority may not meet its requirement and will be subjected to greater risk of more speculative applications in less sustainable locations being approved to ensure housing is being delivered.

If the project were to not come forward at all then it would be a big risk to the housing supply pipeline in the region. This could result in more speculative applications in less sustainable locations being approved to ensure housing is being delivered.

Local planning authorities are measured on their housing delivery through the national Housing Delivery Test. A shortfall in housing delivery in the district would encourage developers to put in applications on unallocated sites which would mean more unplanned and uncoordinated development.

Local Planning Authorities are required to review the policies in a Local Plan every year five years to assess whether they need updating. East Suffolk has two Local Plans, the Waveney Local Plan and the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan. The Waveney Local Plan was adopted in March 2019, and the review assessment of that Plan was therefore undertaken in early 2024. The National Planning Practice Guidance on Plan-making sets out a list of factors that can be considered during the review, for example appeal performance of policies. The focus of an assessment is on the effectiveness of the policies, not solely on whether anything has changed. The Council published a new Local Development Scheme in March 2024, and paragraph 2.6 explains that under the current planning system, the Council would need to review the Suffolk Coastal Local Plan to determine whether it needs to be updated before 23rd September 2025.

The Council has published an indicative timetable for the preparation of an East Suffolk Local Plan, commencing in 2025, as set out in its March 2024 Local Development Scheme. The indicative timetable is subject to review, pending the detail of forthcoming national plan-making reforms. A new Local Plan would need to plan for further housing growth, likely planning for around a further decade of growth (the current Local Plan is based on the period up to 2036).

The Local Plan is informed by robust evidence including forecasting. The plan includes a level of flexibility (for example buffers to the housing requirements) to reflect uncertainties that might arise during the plan period. Having an up-to-date Local Plan in place provides a level of certainty, and a plan-led approach, to the growth that will come forward. The requirement outlined above to review a Plan to determine whether it needs to be updated every five years, provides a mechanism for considering whether policies remain effective. It should also be noted that reviewing Local Plans is a lengthy process which takes a number of years. The Council monitors the delivery of the Local Plans and reports on this each year through the publication of the Authority Monitoring Report.

The Local Plan recognises Felixstowe as a major centre, with the Port of Felixstowe and associated uses in particular providing a significant amount of employment opportunities. As highlighted in the Local Plan, there is a high volume of commuting into the town for work. Providing this strong connection between new dwellings and employment opportunities was an important consideration in allocating the North Felixstowe Garden Neighbourhood. The Garden Neighbourhood has good access to the Port of Felixstowe and other employment opportunities such as those related to tourism.

According to the latest Travel to Work data, of people who commute to work in East Suffolk (excluding those working from home or off-shore) some 41% travel less than 5km suggesting almost half of the commuters have their work and home relatively close together. Part of the policy requirement is a good network of cycling and pedestrians’ routes across the site and to adjoining areas which will provide better opportunity for short, sustainable commuter journeys. This policy is supported by the Cycling and Walking Strategy (2022). Furthermore, the Infrastructure Funding Statement (a document that details how contributions have and will be spent) aims to provide improved infrastructure across this area which will improve commuting options.

We are planning to apply for outline planning permission for the North Felixstowe Garden Neighbourhood. An application for outline planning permission allows for a decision on the general principles of how a site can be developed. Outline planning permission is granted subject to conditions requiring the subsequent approval of one or more ‘reserved matters’

Reserved matters are those aspects of a proposed development which an applicant can choose not to submit details of with an outline planning application, (ie they can be ‘reserved’ for later determination). These are defined in article 2 of the Town and Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 as:

• Access
• Appearance
• Landscaping
• Layout
• Scale

Applications for approval of reserved matters must be made within a specified time-limit, normally 3 years from the date outline planning permission was granted”.

We are working closely with our landowner partners to ensure as far as is practical we develop an outline planning application that “locks in” quality to reassure the local community that what comes forward at the reserved matters stage reflects the illustrations we have developed. 

The allocation for the North Felixstowe site in the Local Plan is for Up to 1440 dwellings, providing a mix of housing types, sizes, and tenures (local plan allocation of 2000 less 560 already approved within Trelawny Place). This will include housing to meet the specialised housing needs of older, younger, and vulnerable people and self-build plots, and provision of affordable housing. The aim is for the masterplan is to comply with current policy and meet the provisions set out in the local plan. If this is achieved approx. 480 affordable homes will come forward as part of the masterplan.  

We are looking for interest in community led housing – if you are interested in housing that is owned or managed by the community in a not-for-profit basis please get in touch by emailing hello@northfelixstowe.co.uk.

The site that is currently being built out by Persimmon known as Trelawny Place is not in fact the first phase of the masterplan. This development was submitted for planning almost a decade ago and five years before the site was allocated in the local plan. Although initially the application was refused by Suffolk Coastal District Council (the Local Planning Authority) it was approved on appeal by the Secretary of State because at the time the Local Planning Authority could not prove an adequate five-year housing supply. This limited the impact Suffolk Coastal District Council (the Local Planning Authority) could have to work with the developer to improve the application.

Creating a masterplan for the whole site is an opportunity to integrate Trelawny Place with future development and take into consideration lessons learnt from the Trelawny Place development. A comprehensive holistic approach to join up with Trelawny place is a priority for the master-planning process.

The allocation for the North Felixstowe site in the Local Plan includes a Community Hub, which could comprise a range of potential uses such as a convenience store, shops, meeting places, education facilities, care facilities and medical facilities to be created in accessible locations. The aim is for the masterplan to meet the provisions set out in the local plan and work with and for the existing Felixstowe community.

Certain services - such as health care and education - are planned by separate organisations such as the local Integrated Care Board or Suffolk County Council. The project team and the Local Planning Authority are working closely with these organisations to ensure they understand the expected growth in local population and are coordinating closely to ensure that they are able to make appropriate plans for their own services.

Neither the project team nor the Local Planning Authority can compel these organisations to act in a certain way rather both parties liaise closely with them through infrastructure meetings and community infrastructure levy bids to ensure appropriate plans are made for the expected growth in local population. In some circumstances - such as the proposed primary school - new buildings will form part of their forward plans, in others offsite upgrades – such as an extension to a GP practice - may be deemed more suitable for the increase in population. It is worth noting that these organisations have been consulted at every stage of the project from allocation in the local plan to today.

Suffolk County Council Education Department are in charge of education provision within the region, and they make their own plans for how best to meet future growth in population. They review forecasts and monitor capacity annually, taking into account actual build out rates (for example the developer may have slowed to 30 houses a year) and birth rates (for example currently there is a dip in birth rates). The forecast data is then used to amend the plans to ensure that places are being delivered when needed. When considering programme, they try to ensure we time new school places so that there isn't a surplus that could compromise an existing school or a deficit meaning pupils don’t have a school place.

The reason a secondary school has not been proposed in the masterplan is because there is enough capacity within the existing Felixstowe secondary school. The project team have been coordinating with them closely regarding a possible new primary school within the masterplan  as we recognise this is an area of concern for many people. If you would like to understand more or make representations to the team regarding education provision in Felixstowe please contact Kelly Smith - School Infrastructure Programme Manager - schools@suffolk.gov.uk.

The last thing we want to do as a project team is gridlock Candlet Road and we don’t believe that will happen. The introduction of the new roundabout to the Bloor homes sites allows a better management of the transport system in that area if blockages occur due to accidents. As a project team, we are exploring different ways in which to manage the traffic to and from the development, to promote other ways of getting around, such as buses and cycling. With such a big site as the NFGN there are ways traffic can be gradually monitored throughout its construction that different ways to manage the traffic onto the local highway network can be managed, discussions with Suffolk Highways will continue throughout the planning application process to determine the best course of action to manage the highway network appropriately. 

Suffolk County Council Highways are the statutory body with responsibility for overseeing maintenance and future planning of the road network in Suffolk. They have been consulted at every stage of the project from allocation in the local plan to today as the detail of the masterplan emerges. They will ultimately decide if the increase in traffic is deemed acceptable and we continue to liaise closely with them.

Within our current transport policies that govern how we develop out sites, sustainable transport has to always be considered first, and if we can use money that would be spend on building new roads or creating new road space on a new bus service, then that is our priority. Again, discussions with Suffolk highways are ongoing in this respect but we are keen to explore and will do everything we can to support, right from the beginning, new bus services for the town which connects the NFGN site to the town and vice versa.

A park and Ride site was considered for this site but one of the metrics of operating a viable park and ride site is reducing the opportunities for free and cheap parking. The city of Cambridge has successfully run viable park and ride sites for years by having expensive city centre parking and a lack of free on-street parking that has forced people onto the park and ride buses and ultimately changed their travel behaviours and reduced the number of cars in the city centre. Felixstowe has quite an abundance of free and cheap parking which is easy to access by car from the A14, you can access the Cliff Road car park from the Dockspur roundabout in around 5 minutes by car in off-peak conditions. The same time to use a park and ride would take a lot longer and not be worth it to the car drivers/people with families. Without having that penalty of expensive and infrequent parking within the town, a park and ride would not be viable, there are cases around the country where park and ride sites sit empty due to different factors such as ample cheap parking at the destinations people want to go to. 

Yes, we are looking to provide a parking lot in a similar location to the existing provision.

Currently there is no plan to change access to the playing pitches for dog walking and indeed no final decisions on the Eastward Ho open space have so far been made. There can be tension between users however providing everyone is conscientious of others then issues can largely be avoided. There will also be a significant amount of additional woodland, natural and semi natural open space that will come forward as part of the masterplan that will create new walking routes and landscapes for the community to explore.

Certain parts of the site (such as the large open space in the north of the site) are unsuitable for development. This is because of how far away they are from the town, how close they are to the national landscape (formerly the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty), the biodiversity found in these locations and their flood zone designations. To meet the number of homes we need at a density and scale that is in keeping with Felixstowe we have suggested using areas that are physically suitable for development such as Eastward Ho. If development is not proposed on Eastward Ho (and other parts of the site), there may need to be more homes at a higher density in other parts of the site.

All factors need to be considered as part of the wider masterplan and future open space for recreation may look different, but the ambition is to improve the provision and access. The masterplanning process is a balancing act. The team are attempting to find the appropriate place in the scheme for the development itself while respecting the heritage and landscape on the site, to ensure it works with the natural goods and services. We also need to be mindful that there are two other major landowners we are collaborating with on this scheme and therefore we need to balance the equitable distribution of development as well as overall viability. We need to ensure that the scheme is deliverable or else it will all be for nothing.

There is a potential capacity issue with the current access via Grove Road. Number 3 Links Avenue was a strategic purchase to provide a potential alternative route for walking and cycling in/out of the site. It is important to stress that we are considering all options at this point and no decision has been made. Any final decision will rely on detailed design and consultation to establish the appropriate use and design.

In the immediate future, we are working to undertake some vital building works to the property, once completed the property will be used to support the Council’s temporary housing needs.

The petition to protect the East Ward Ho Playing Fields was debated by full council on Wed 24th of July – this can be viewed on the East Suffolk Council You Tube channel. The council concluded that as the project is currently actively seeking public opinion and input to inform the masterplan. The detail of the discussion will feed into the process of consideration and the outcome of the wider consultation.

In 2015/16 ESC took the decision to continue to provide leisure services within the district. This is important because it is a not a statutory service that the Council are required to provide, and many local authorities have taken a different approach. ESC believe it is really important for the local community that good quality and affordable leisure facilities are available to everyone.

In order to continue to provide these facilities it is fundamental that they are financially sustainable. This key aim has underpinned the Leisure Strategy over the last decade which has seen almost every leisure centre in the district refurbished and upgraded. Turning an overall annual deficit to break even by increasing membership and appealing to a wider range of the community. 

In Felixstowe feasibility studies showed that even if the two centres were refurbished there are some fundamental issues with the current centres. Firstly, it fundamentally does not make sense to have two separate centres, it is inefficient and doubles up on management costs and the two Felixstowe facilities run at a significant deficit. Secondly in order to make the provision sustainable the centres need to attract more members, and both current centres are located on “inner town” locations which make them more difficult to reach from those traveling from further afield. The new proposed location within the North Felixstowe masterplan should double the catchment and provide long term sustainability for the Felixstowe peninsular. 

Yes, refurbishment has been explored. Both existing buildings are coming to the end of their lifespan and while refurbishment could be undertaken to extend this, it wouldn’t change the fundamental issues highlighted in the question above. In addition to this, if the current facilities were completely refurbished or demolished and rebuilt on the same site it would result in closures of a minimum of 18 months.  

Our best estimate at the moment working on the basis that the masterplan is submitted in Spring 2025 would be: 

• A reserved matters application for the new leisure centre could be submitted by the beginning of 2026.
• Construction starting in the middle of 2026.
• New leisure centre to open by the end of 2028.

Both leisure centre sites are allocated in the 2020 local plan for future redevelopment. These sites will only come forward once the new leisure centre has opened and until that point the existing centres will be maintained as per normal to ensure no drop in provision.

The Brackenbury Leisure Centre site as per policy SCLP12.5 has been allocated for a “residential development of approximately 80 dwellings”. The Felixstowe Leisure Centre on the seafront as per policy SCLP12.16 has been allocated for “a mix of uses which promote unique, modern and imaginative tourist, resort and visitor opportunities.”

We are exploring several ways in how to connect the Local centre to the existing residential areas of Felixstowe. The project team is committed to adhering to national guidance in seeking active travel connections to and from the site and we are currently undertaking options to enhance/implement cycling and walking infrastructure to and from the LC from the town centre and along adjacent Roads. We are also exploring a bus service which would be for the town only moving people from area to area within the town and would seek to promote walking/cycling and a new bus service over building any more roads or hard infrastructure. With cycling and walking, our approach would be to re-purpose road space for cyclists and pedestrians without compromising the highway network for other road users. As we stated previously, we are still working through these options and aim to provide enhancements that cater for all road users. 

The Council have an approved budget of £35m to build the proposed new leisure centre.  Costs have increased significantly since the pandemic and the council is reviewing the plans and costs to ensure that the leisure centre is value for money and affordable.