New Forest National Park Plan
Consultation Draft
Statement from the Chairman (11 KB) Park Plan/RMS questions and answers (49 KB)
The draft National Park Plan sets out the long-term vision and objectives for the National Park, together with the policies and actions for the next 5 years and beyond. It combines two important statutory documents in a single integrated plan. These are the National Park Management Plan and the Local Development Framework Core Strategy including Development Control policies. It is hoped that this will make the overall approach proposed for the National Park clearer for interested organisations and individuals.
The formal consultation on the draft National Park Plan and draft Recreation Management Strategy closed on Friday 14 November.
The Authority received around 9,000 responses to the draft Park Plan and the draft Recreation Management Strategy. The figure is made up of 900 completed response forms, letters or e-mails from individuals and organisations, of which initial analysis suggests that 65% have raised objections to the recreational horse-keeping policy; 900 standard letters or variations of the letter from NFDOG; and approximately 7,200 signatures on a petition by the Forest Uprising Group.
Although the majority of the responses focused on issues to do with recreational horse-keeping a wide range of other matters featured in many responses including policies on car parks related to dog-walking, zoning and local businesses among others.
The next stages are:
- November-December 2008: officers analyse the responses. In view of the volume and detailed nature of the comments, this is likely to take some weeks.
- December 2008: a report on the results of the public consultation is prepared for the National Park Authority; workshops and meetings with statutory bodies, key organisations and parish councils to share the results of the public consultation.
- January-February 2009: further meetings including working groups to review and propose revisions to those polices that have created the most concern during the consultation. These groups are likely to look at recreational horse-keeping, zoning policy, recreation (including dogs), business and community needs, and traffic. The full range of views will be represented at the working groups. Further meetings will also be held in parishes or villages to consider the way forward.
- Spring 2009: revised draft National Park Plan goes to the full National Park Authority for approval; action and implementation plans will be developed.
- After the Authority meeting: if the Park Plan is approved, the Local Development Framework ‘Core Strategy’, which is the planning policies integrated into the Plan, will be subject to a further six-week statutory public consultation and, some months later, independent public examination.
- Summer 2009: revised draft Recreation Management Strategy goes to the full National Park Authority for approval; action and implementation plans will be developed.
Nearly 2,000 copies of the draft Park Plan and Recreation Management Strategy were sent out during the consultation period and there were 31,500 hits on the draft Park Plan web pages and 11,500 on the draft Recreation Management Strategy web pages.
Draft Planning Policies on Recreational Horse Keeping
We understand that some people are concerned about the Authority’s draft planning polices for Recreational Horse Keeping. The Authority has produced an explanatory note to help explain the background to the polices as well as answering some of the more common questions about what these polices might mean for people who already keep horses in the National Park. This note should be read in conjunction with the draft planning policies.
Explanatory Note Draft Planning Policies on Recreational Horse Keeping (364 KB)
If you want to view or download the National Park Plan and accompanying documents please click here
Alternatively you can request a paper copy of the Plan and response form by emailing nationalparkplan@newforestnpa.gov.uk.
Copies are available on CD, in large print format, in Braille or in an alternative language on request.
Supporting evidence base documents have informed the consultation draft, and can be viewed here
The public consultation period ended on 14 November 2008
The stages in the process of preparing and eventually adopting the National Park Plan are set out in the following diagram (15 KB). Please note that the timescales are indicative.
The statutory consultees and other organisations sent copies of the draft Plan at the outset of the consultation period are listed here (499 KB)
For details of the New Forest, New Chapter workshops which helped inform the draft plan please follow the link.
For further general information about the National Park Plan or the consultation please phone Nick Evans on 01590 646679 or Sarah Applegate on 01590 646673
More detailed policies and actions for recreation can be found in the Recreation Management Strategy for the National Park also currently available as a consultation draft.
