New Forest National Park Plan
Consultation Draft
Questions and answers
Q. What is a New Forest National Park Management Plan?
A. National Park Authorities have a legal duty to prepare a Management Plan and review it every five years.
It is ‘the single most important document for each National Park’ (ref: National Park Management Plans Guidance, the Countryside Agency, October 2005) and sets out the vision for the Forest for the next 20 years.
This strategic document sets the broad policy approach for all who have an influence over the future of the New Forest, not just the National Park Authority. Policies and actions in the Management Plan can only be achieved if a wide range of New Forest organisations and individuals work together.
Q. What is a Core Strategy?
A. The Core Strategy guides decisions on planning applications within the Park.
It will contain planning policies to guide where new development may be allowed (including more detailed policies covering affordable housing for example) and the areas of the Park where specific policies, such as conservation areas, apply.
Q. What has been happening since the consultation closed in November 2008?
A. After the 12-week consultation period in November 2008, we have been talking to many different groups. This has included:
- running five working groups looking at the more contentious issues (zoning, service villages, traffic and transport, socio-economic issues, recreational horse keeping)
- hosting a meeting for all local district, borough and county councillors
- inviting all parish and town councils within the Park to meetings to discuss their local responses
- meeting local interest groups to explore how the proposals could be improved and taken forward constructively
- setting up an equine forum to gain input from the horse-riding community.
All the detailed comments received last year have been taken into account as we have been revising the plans.
Q. What happens next?
A. Management Plan Timeline:
- 22 October - draft Management Plan available to view on the Authority’s website:
- 29 October - draft Management Plan taken to the Authority meeting for members to review
- General public has two weeks to give feedback on revised draft (please send comments in by 12 November)
- National Park Authority has three weeks to read feedback and make any changes
- 10 December - the revised Management Plan is taken to the Authority meeting for members to approve.
Core Strategy Timeline:
- 3 December - draft Core Strategy available on the website
- 10 December - draft Core Strategy taken to the Authority meeting for members to review
- January 2010 - start of six weeks for the public to comment (we are starting the legal six week period here to avoid the Christmas holidays)
- The draft Core Strategy and all comments received are sent to the Government for independent examination by a Planning Inspector.
- Following receipt of the binding Inspector’s Report, the Authority will formally ‘adopt’ the Core Strategy and begin putting the planning policies into practice.
Q. How can I have my say?
A. You can send us your feedback in several different ways:
Write to:
New Forest National Park Authority
South Efford House
Milford Road
Lymington
SO41 0JD.
Tel: 01590 646600
Email: nationalparkplan@newforestnpa.gov.uk
