Draft Recreation Management Strategy for the New Forest National Park
Statement from the Chairman (11 KB) Park Plan/RMS questions and answers (49 KB)
The draft Recreation Management Strategy sets out the strategic direction for the management of outdoor recreation in the New Forest National Park over the coming 20 years. It seeks to guide and influence recreation and spatial planning policy and implementation across the whole of the National Park and adjoining areas (insofar as the latter influences recreation within the National Park). The translation of policies into practical activity will be outlined in an action plan which will be developed with key partners over the next 6 months.
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.
Dog walking - New Forest National Park Authority statement
If you want to view or download the National Park Recreation Management Strategy and supporting documents please click here
Alternatively you can request a paper copy of the Plan and response form by emailing rms@newforestnpa.gov.uk or contacting Rachael Bowen on 01590 646675.
The consultation period ended on 14 November 2008
For further general information about the Recreation Management Strategy or the consultation process please phone Saira Evans on 01590 646682 or Rachael Bowen on 01590 646675
The Strategy has been drawn up in parallel with, and supports, the first National Park Plan for the New Forest which is also currently available as a consultation draft
