Future Matters
Challenges
While the general picture of the New Forest is one of high environmental quality and relative affluence, there are local concerns and external pressures that need to be tackled.
Social well-being
- The New Forest is among the most disadvantaged districts for rural people in the south-east for access to services.
- Three wards are among the top 10% of those most deprived in England, taking into account levels of income and access to essential services.
- The general affluence of the area creates pressures on the housing market with house prices over 40% above the national average.
- Protecting the area's sensitive environment from development can make it more difficult to provide sites for affordable housing and for development that would create more local jobs.
- Provision of and access to health and social care for the elderly is a major issue in the area.
Economic well-being
- Average earnings in the district are about 5% below the national average and 10% below the average for Hampshire.
- In the last ten years local employment growth has averaged 1.4% per annum compared with 1.6% for Hampshire.
- There are concerns that the area's services and infrastructure – especially the transport network – have not kept pace with growth in population.
- There is a need to sustain an appropriate range of rural employment opportunities.
Environmental pressures
- Two major conurbations with a combined population of 1.5 million people are within a few minutes' drive of the New Forest.
- Significant growth is proposed in and around these conurbations in the next 20 years.
- More than 13.5 million day-visits are made to the National Park each year.Some 85% of visitors use their cars to get here.
- The very high cost of land and houses threatens the long-term sustainability of commoning.
- Climate change is likely to impact on the landscape, habitats, recreational use and economy of the area.For example, global warming is expected to accelerate the rate of sea-level rise by 3 to 5 mm a year over the next 60 plus years from historic rates of 1.5 mm a year.
Your views
This is your chance to let us have your views. We need your input to help set the future direction for all three plans and the actions of a wide range of public organisations. The Response Paper (CLOSED) has questions about a wide range of issues and asks for your views on possible actions to address them. It also provides an opportunity for you to tell us of any further issues and actions that we have not thought about, but which are important to you.
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