On March 2, 2026, residents in Haverhill, Suffolk, will have the opportunity to attend a public meeting to discuss a controversial development proposal known as Forest City 1. The event, organised by Forest City co-founders Shiv Malik and Joseph (Joe) Reeve, is intended to give the community a direct say in how local land might be used and to present the promoters’ plans for tackling housing affordability.
Promoters describe Forest City 1 as a very large new settlement between Haverhill and Newmarket. In public statements and interviews, the project’s backers have talked of ambitions ranging up to 400,000 homes and — in some commentary by Malik — a vision for a city of up to one million people. They say the plan could include new woodlands and public green space, modern homes built to high energy standards, and new infrastructure such as hospitals, schools and a train station — though those infrastructure items are proposals from the scheme’s promoters and are not approved by the local planning authority.
Local reporting from Suffolk titles quotes Malik saying the scheme could deliver amenities including hospitals, dentists and leisure facilities, and that promoters are exploring measures such as compensation for households directly affected by development. The promoters frame the project in YIMBY (“Yes In My Back Yard”) terms, arguing large-scale, planned growth is needed to make housing affordable for younger generations.
The proposal has provoked strong local opposition because of its scale. West Suffolk MP Nick Timothy has launched a petition against the plans and said the scheme would damage Suffolk’s countryside. West Suffolk Council’s current Local Plan (Regulation 19 submission draft) carries two strategic allocations around Haverhill that together are expected to deliver roughly 3,650 homes — a scale far smaller than the figures discussed by Forest City 1’s backers.
The March 2 meeting — publicised by the project team — will allow residents to hear more about the promoters’ proposals and to ask questions. The session is part of a wider debate being reported in regional media about how to balance the need for new housing with protecting Suffolk’s rural character.
