View source for Forest Heath District

{{Use British English|date=June 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2019}}

{{Infobox settlement
<!-- See {{Infobox settlement}} for the full list of available fields -->
<!-- Elements common to United Kingdom -->
|timezone                = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
|utc_offset              = 0
|timezone_DST            = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
|utc_offset_DST          = +1
<!-- Elements common to administrative division of this type (English two-tier district) -->
|settlement_type         = [[Non-metropolitan district]]
|subdivision_type        = [[List of sovereign states|Sovereign state]]
|subdivision_type1       = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Constituent country]]
|subdivision_type2       = [[Regions of England|Region]]
|subdivision_type3       = [[Non-metropolitan county]]
|subdivision_type4       = Status
|subdivision_type5       = Admin HQ
|subdivision_name        = [[United Kingdom]]
|subdivision_name1       = [[England]]
|subdivision_name4       = [[Non-metropolitan district]]
|government_type         = Non-metropolitan district council
|leader_title            = Leadership
|leader_title1           = 
|established_title1      = Incorporated
|extinct_title           = Abolished
|extinct_date            = 31 March 2019
|population_density_km2  = auto
|population_blank1_title = Ethnicity
|blank1_name             = [[ONS coding system|ONS code]]
|blank2_name             = [[Ordnance Survey National Grid|OS grid reference]]
<!-- Elements unique to this article -->
|name                    = Forest Heath
|other_name              = Forest Heath District
|image_skyline           = Marketplace Mildenhall - geograph.org.uk - 822218.jpg
|imagesize               = 
|image_alt               = 
|image_caption           = Mildenhall
|image_shield            = 
|shield_size             = 
|shield_alt              = 
|shield_link             = 
|image_map               = Forest Heath UK locator map.svg
|mapsize                 = 150px
|map_alt                 = 
|map_caption             = Forest Heath shown within Suffolk
|subdivision_name2       = [[East of England]]
|subdivision_name3       = [[Suffolk]]
|subdivision_name5       = [[Mildenhall, Suffolk|Mildenhall]]
|established_date1       = 1 April 1974
|governing_body          = Forest Heath District Council
|leader_party            = 
|leader_name             = 
|leader_name1            = 
|area_total_km2          = 377.7
|population_total        = 65,500
|population_as_of        = mid-2018
|population_rank         = 
|population_blank1       = 91.0% White<br />3.0% Black<br />1.3% S.Asian<br />3.1% mixed race
|blank1_info             = 42UC (ONS)<br />E07000201 (GSS)
|blank2_info             = {{gbmappingsmall|TL7156375032}}
|website                 = [https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk www.westsuffolk.gov.uk]
}}
'''Forest Heath''' was a [[Non-metropolitan district|local government district]] in [[Suffolk]], [[England]]. Its council was based in [[Mildenhall, Suffolk|Mildenhall]].  Other towns in the district included [[Newmarket, Suffolk|Newmarket]]. The population of the district at the 2011 Census was 59,748.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=6275103&c=Forest+Heath&d=13&e=62&g=6465757&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1471286437713&enc=1|title=District population 2011|access-date=15 August 2016|publisher=Office for National Statistics|work=Neighbourhood Statistics|archive-date=12 October 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012183401/http://www.neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/LeadKeyFigures.do?a=7&b=6275103&c=Forest%20Heath&d=13&e=62&g=6465757&i=1001x1003x1032x1004&o=362&m=0&r=1&s=1471286437713&enc=1|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The district's name reflected the fact that it contains parts of both [[Thetford Forest]] and the heathlands of [[Breckland]].  The district was formed on 1 April 1974, under the [[Local Government Act 1972]], by a merger of [[Newmarket Urban District]] and [[Mildenhall Rural District]]. Forest Heath district was merged with the [[borough of St Edmundsbury]] on 1 April 2019 to form a new [[West Suffolk (district)|West Suffolk]] district.<ref name ="WS LGC 2018">{{cite web|url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2018/639/contents/made|title=The West Suffolk (Local Government Changes) Order 2018|author=Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government|date=24 May 2018|access-date=2018-05-28|website=legislation.gov.uk}}</ref>

Forest Heath was the home to two of the largest [[United States Air Force]] (USAF) airbases in the UK: [[RAF Lakenheath]] and [[RAF Mildenhall]], as well as the headquarters of British horse racing, [[Newmarket Racecourse]].

In the English indices of deprivation 2010 report published by the [[Department for Communities and Local Government]], two parts of Forest Heath have the highest employment out of 32483 areas in England.<ref>{{cite web|title=English indices of deprivation 2010|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-indices-of-deprivation-2010|work=[[Department for Communities and Local Government]]|publisher=Gov.uk|access-date=23 June 2013}}</ref>

==Communities==
The district contained three market towns and twenty [[civil parishes in England|civil parishes]].

===Towns===
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
*[[Mildenhall, Suffolk|Mildenhall]]
*[[Newmarket, Suffolk|Newmarket]]
*[[Brandon, Suffolk|Brandon]]
}}

===Civil parishes===
{{columns-list|colwidth=22em|
*[[Barton Mills]]
*[[Beck Row, Holywell Row and Kenny Hill]]
*[[Cavenham]]
*[[Dalham]]
*[[Elveden]]
*[[Eriswell]]
*[[Exning]]
*[[Freckenham]]
*[[Gazeley]]
*[[Herringswell]]
*[[Higham, Forest Heath|Higham]]
*[[Icklingham]]
*[[Kentford]]
*[[Lakenheath]]
*[[Moulton, Suffolk|Moulton]]
*[[Red Lodge, Suffolk|Red Lodge]]
*[[Santon Downham]]
*[[Tuddenham]]
*[[Worlington, Suffolk|Worlington]]
}}

==Governance==
{{further|Forest Heath District Council elections}}
[[File:Council offices, Mildenhall - geograph.org.uk - 3169711.jpg|thumb|Council Offices, College Heath Road, Mildenhall]]
Forest Heath District Council provided [[non-metropolitan district|district-level]] functions. [[Non-metropolitan county|County-level]] functions were provided by [[Suffolk County Council]]. The whole district was also divided into [[civil parish]]es, which provided a third tier of local government. The district council was based at offices on College Heath Road in Mildenhall.<ref>{{cite journal |title=The A11 Trunk Road (Fiveways Roundabout, Barton Mills, Suffolk) (40 miles per hour and 50 miles per hour speed limit) Order 2018 |journal=London Gazette |date=8 November 2018 |issue=62461 |page=20348 |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/notice/3147625 |access-date=4 June 2025}}</ref> The building was purpose-built for the council and opened in 1980.<ref>{{cite news |title=No fanfare for new offices |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0003223%2F19800717&page=1 |access-date=4 June 2025 |work=Newmarket Journal |date=17 July 1980 |page=1}}</ref> After the council's abolition in 2019, the building was deemed surplus to requirements, and it was subsequently demolished.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Noble |first1=Jason |title=Old council offices and library in Mildenhall set to be knocked down to make way for new homes |url=https://www.suffolknews.co.uk/mildenhall/towns-old-council-offices-set-to-be-knocked-down-to-make-wa-9240720/ |access-date=4 June 2025 |work=Suffolk News |date=17 February 2022}}</ref>

==Education==
{{expand section|date=January 2019}}
The [[Shi-Tennoji School in UK]] in [[Herringswell]], Forest Heath was in operation beginning in 1985,<ref>McNeill, Phil. "[https://web.archive.org/web/20100425060806/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3359022/Shrine-of-the-times.html Shrine of the times]." ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140302063429/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/property/3359022/Shrine-of-the-times.html Archive]) ''[[Telegraph Media Group|The Telegraph]]''. 22 July 2007. Retrieved on 8 January 2014.</ref> and ending on 17 July 2000.<ref>"[http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase/establishment/summary.xhtml?urn=124894 Establishment: Shi-Tennoji School]." ([https://archive.today/20140109022433/http://www.education.gov.uk/edubase/establishment/summary.xhtml?urn=124894 Archive]) [[Department for Education]]. Retrieved on 8 January 2014. "Shi-Tennoji School Herringswell Bury St Edmund's Suffolk IP28 6SW"</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{Portal|England}}
{{commons category|Forest Heath}}
*[http://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk Forest Heath District Council]

{{Former local government areas in Suffolk}}

{{coord|52.3461|0.5190|type:adm3rd_dim:35000_region:GB-SFK|display=title}}

[[Category:Forest Heath| ]]
[[Category:Former non-metropolitan districts of Suffolk]]
[[Category:West Suffolk District]]