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50 Ipswich Street Stowmarket IP14 1AD

DC/25/04205Full Planning ApplicationRefused
Full

Refused on 6 January 2026

Delegated (officer decision)2 reasons for refusal

Approximate site (title boundary)
Boundary © HM Land Registry, © Ordnance Survey · details

This information is subject to Crown copyright and database rights 2026 and is reproduced with the permission of HM Land Registry. The polygons (including the associated geometry, namely x, y co-ordinates) are subject to Crown copyright and database rights 2026 Ordnance Survey AC0000851063. Conditions of use.

Proposal

Full Planning Application - Change of use of building from retail (Class E) to hot food takeaway (Sui Generis). Installation of kitchen ventilation plant and ductwork.

Received
19 September 2025
Decision level
Delegated (officer decision)
Public comments
9
Ward
St Peter's
Agent
Whymark & Moulton Ltd
  1. Received19 Sep
  2. Validated12 Nov
  3. Consult.12 Dec
  4. Target24 Dec
  5. Decided6 Jan

Decided in 55 days (council typically 49)

About this application

This is a full planning application for a change of use at 50 Ipswich Street Stowmarket IP14 1AD. Babergh Mid Suffolk has handled 5,907 applications of this type. This one was decided in 109 days, 9 weeks longer than Babergh Mid Suffolk's typical decision time. The site is in the Stowmarket conservation area, with 8 listed buildings nearby. There are no previous applications recorded at this address. In the past year there have been 31 applications across St Peter's. We hold 1,277 applications in total for the IP14 postcode area.

90% of full applications at Babergh District Council were approved. Across all application types, the council typically decides in about 7 weeks (median).

Based on decided applications received in the last 3 years.Planning something similar? See what gets approved on your street

Why it was refused

  1. REASON FOR REFUSAL - CONTRARY TO SP06, LP11, AND THE NPPF The proposal fails to demonstrate compliance with policies SP06 and LP11 of the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan (2023), as well as paragraph 97 of the NPPF (2024). The development would introduce an additional hot food takeaway into Stowmarket town centre where there is already a notable concentration of similar uses, including an existing fast-food pizza outlet immediately adjacent. This clustering effect would exacerbate the over-provision of takeaways, resulting in cumulative harm to town centre vitality and viability, reducing daytime activity, and contributing to issues such as littering, odour, and late-night disturbance. The proposal is therefore considered detrimental to the character and function of the town centre and is refused.
  2. REASON FOR REFUSAL - CONTRARY TO LP15 AND LP24 The proposal fails to demonstrate compliance with Policies LP15 (Environmental Protection and Conservation) and LP24 (Design and Residential Amenity) of the Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan (2023), as well as paragraph 135 of the NPPF (2024). The development would result in increased noise, odour emissions, and late-night activity in close proximity to residential accommodation above and adjacent to the site. The cumulative effect of another takeaway in this location, combined with extended evening operation, would be detrimental to the living environment of nearby occupiers and the wider community. The proposal is therefore considered harmful to residential amenity and is refused. SUMMARY OF POLICIES WHICH ARE RELEVANT TO THE DECISION: Babergh and Mid Suffolk Joint Local Plan (JLP) (2023) SP03 - The sustainable location of new development SP05 - Employment Land SP06 - Retail and Main Town Centre Uses SP09 - Enhancement and Management of the Environment SP10 - Climate Change LP09 - Supporting a Prosperous Economy LP11 - Retail and Town Centres LP15 - Environmental Protection and Conservation LP16 - Biodiversity & Geodiversity LP17 - Landscape LP19 - The Historic Environment LP29 - Safe, Sustainable and Active Transport LP23 - Sustainable Construction and Design LP24 - Design and Residential Amenity LP27 - Flood risk and vulnerability National Planning Policy and Guidance NPPF - National Planning Policy Framework PPG - National Planning Practice Guidance

From the council's decision notice.

Application details

Postcode
IP14 1AD
Application type
Full Planning Application
Scale / size
Small
Parish
Stowmarket

Planning application dates

Date validated
12 November 2025
Consultation expiry
19 December 2025
Consultation start
13 November 2025
Consultation end
12 December 2025
Neighbour consultation start
17 November 2025
Neighbour consultation end
8 December 2025
Last date for comments
19 December 2025
Target decision date
24 December 2025

Applicant and agent

Agent
Whymark & Moulton Ltd
Agent address
Gwelo Edgworth Road Sudbury Suffolk CO10 2TG

Planning decision

Statutory period
42 days

Publicity

Last advertised
26 November 2025
Advertisement expiry
17 December 2025
Site notice start
28 November 2025
Site notice end
19 December 2025

Additional information

Documents
11
Constraints
4

Site constraints

Checking the site
2/3
Council recordsAppealsFlood risk

Designations that overlap or adjoin the site outline.

  • Conservation area: Stowmarket
  • Flood zone 1: Low probability (rivers and sea)

Not published by this council, so not checked: Article 4 directions and tree preservation orders. Ask the council if these matter.

Also checked, none recorded (21)

flood storage areas, listed buildings, green belt, scheduled monuments, World Heritage Sites, World Heritage Site buffer zones, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields, Heritage at Risk entries, nutrient neutrality catchments, national parks, National Landscapes, SSSIs, Special Areas of Conservation, Special Protection Areas, Ramsar sites, ancient woodland, national nature reserves, local nature reserves, heritage coasts and brownfield registers.

A guide only, from official open data; it is not a planning search. Flood zones cover rivers and sea, not surface water.

Data © Crown copyright and others · sources and licences

Contains public sector information from planning.data.gov.uk (MHCLG and local planning authorities), licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

© Historic England 2026. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. The Historic England GIS Data contained in this material was obtained on 2026-11-03. The most publicly available up to date Historic England GIS Data can be obtained from HistoricEngland.org.uk.

© Natural England copyright. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

© Environment Agency copyright and/or database right 2026. All rights reserved. Flood Map for Planning, Open Government Licence v3.0.

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026.

Source: Babergh Mid Suffolk

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