Deadline day is approaching for residents in west Suffolk to give their views on sites for more than 7,000 new homes across the district.

The second stage of consultation on the West Suffolk Local Plan - which identifies where the building of homes will and will not be permitted, and where land should be kept for employment growth - will close for comments on July 26.

The area will need 15,200 more homes by 2040, according to the future housing need calculated by the government. While 8,600 of these already have planning permission, at least 6,600 homes need to be identified through the new local plan.

This stage of consultation allocates land for 7,134 homes, around 500 more than required because the council must give a level of choice to show it will definitely meet its housing needs.

Conservative councillor David Roach, cabinet member for planning at West Suffolk Council, said: “The local plan is about ensuring our communities’ future housing needs are met and that there’s land for businesses to grow and flourish in West Suffolk.

“Having a local plan in place is vital, so a huge thank you to everyone who has taken the time to look at this draft of the plan and had their say.

“Whether we have a local plan or not, development will still happen.

“But having a plan means that we and our communities have more of a local democratic voice over the development that comes forward.

“It offers greater protection to greenfield sites and the countryside. It means we can stop inappropriate, speculative development from taking place."

When adopted, the West Suffolk Local Plan will be used when deciding on planning applications, where land is protected, and where development for new housing and land for employment can be situated. It will cover the period until 2040.

A final public consultation will take place next year on the plan to be submitted to the secretary of state, who will then appoint a planning inspector to carry out an independent investigation.

Alongside this public consultation, the council is calling for people to suggest housing or employment sites. This is because the last call for sites did not generate enough smaller housing sites of one hectare or less.