Local Planning Activities Heat Up Across East England

In the early months of 2026, East England is experiencing a significant surge in local planning activities, with multiple councils actively seeking land submissions for future development. The Greater Norwich Development Partnership recently concluded its Call for Sites in mid-March, while Kings Lynn and West Norfolk have extended their deadline until May. These initiatives follow Breckland’s Regulation 18 consultation which wrapped up at the end of 2025. Richard Shuldham from Savills Norwich revealed the scale of their involvement: “Savills Norwich has submitted, or are involved in sites that have been submitted, for roughly 15,000 homes across the patch.” Their submissions range dramatically in size, from modest nine-dwelling developments to ambitious new settlement proposals. In Greater Norwich alone, Savills acted for clients submitting nearly 20 potential development sites that could deliver more than 4,000 new homes, demonstrating the significant scale of development being considered across Norfolk.

Meanwhile, Cambridgeshire is seeing similar planning momentum with Fenland District Council advancing its ‘Fenland 50′ Local Plan. Their Call for Sites remains open until the end of April, seeking to identify not only land for development but also areas for potential Local Green Space designation. This follows the Greater Cambridge authorities’ conclusion of consultation on their Draft Local Plan in late 2025, with site submissions closing in January 2026 after extensive market engagement. These coordinated efforts across Cambridgeshire demonstrate how local authorities are working to balance development needs with environmental considerations, recognizing that future growth must incorporate green spaces and sustainable planning principles to create livable communities.

Suffolk is equally active in planning activities, with West Suffolk Council launching an eight-week Call for Sites running until May 20th. Their approach is notably comprehensive, seeking land not just for housing but for employment, mixed-use development, infrastructure, and green initiatives including open space and biodiversity net gain projects. This Call for Sites follows the adoption of their current Local Plan in July 2025 and represents the first step in preparing their next Local Plan, which will extend to 2045. Other Suffolk councils wrapped up their own Call for Sites exercises in January, indicating a coordinated regional approach to future planning. The inclusion of biodiversity and green space requirements signals a shift toward more environmentally conscious development frameworks throughout Suffolk.

The planning landscape appears somewhat quieter in Essex and Hertfordshire, where most local authorities concluded their Call for Sites activities either at the end of 2025 or earlier. This suggests these areas may be at a different stage in their planning cycle compared to their neighboring counties, potentially already moving forward with evaluating previously submitted sites or preparing for the next stages of their planning processes. The varying timelines across counties illustrate how local planning operates independently yet contributes to the broader regional development picture, with each authority working through the planning process at its own pace while still addressing similar challenges of housing supply, employment land, and sustainable growth.

Bedfordshire presents an interesting case where no Call for Sites exercises are currently underway, but change is imminent. Bedford Borough Council has agreed to begin work on its new Local Plan 2050, following the withdrawal of its previous Local Plan 2040. This situation has left the borough without an up-to-date plan, creating some uncertainty for local development. A Call for Sites exercise is expected to begin in summer 2026, inviting landowners, developers, and residents to propose potential development locations, followed by a six-week consultation on the plan’s scope. This demonstrates how planning processes can sometimes encounter setbacks but also how authorities work to recover and move forward with new timelines and fresh approaches to ensure development continues in a structured manner.

Gabe Pontin, a graduate planner with the Cambridge planning team, offers insight into the significance of these activities: “These exercises underline 2026 as a peak year for land promotion in the region, with authorities seeking to capture a wide range of opportunities.” The focus ranges from smaller settlement extensions to strategic landholdings, all aimed at ensuring growth remains plan-led and supported by appropriate infrastructure. This coordinated planning approach across East England represents a crucial opportunity for stakeholders to influence future spatial strategy and reinforce a plan-led approach to regional growth. As local authorities work through these processes, the region is positioning itself to address housing needs, employment opportunities, and environmental considerations in a balanced way that should benefit communities across East England for decades to come.