AM 740/26 – Annex 1 – New Forest National Park Local Plan Review – Proposed Regulation 19 Submission Draft Local Plan (July 2026)

Contents

New Forest National Park Authority Local Plan
Regulation 19

1. Introduction and Background................................................................ 5
2. Profile of the New Forest .................................................................... 13
3. Vision and objectives .......................................................................... 18
4. Strategic Policies and Development Principles................................... 26
   • Policy SP1: Supporting sustainable development ......................................... 28
   • Policy DP2: General development principles................................................. 29
   • Policy SP3 Spatial Strategy........................................................................... 34
   • Policy SP4: Major development in the National Park ..................................... 36
   • Policy SP5: Land to north of Fawley Waterside............................................. 38
   • Policy SP6: Infrastructure provision and developer contributions .................. 43
5. Climate Change .................................................................................. 45
   • Policy SP7: Safeguarding and improving water resources ............................ 51
   • Policy SP8: Flood risk .................................................................................... 54
   • Policy SP9: Sustainable construction ............................................................ 55
   • Policy SP10: Renewable energy ................................................................... 58
6. Protecting and Enhancing the Natural Environment ........................... 59
   • Policy SP11: Nature conservation sites of international importance .............. 62
   • Policy SP12: The natural environment – nationally, regionally and locally important sites ............................................................................................... 65
   • Policy SP13: Biodiversity Net Gain................................................................ 68
   • Policy SP14: Landscape character................................................................ 71
   • Policy SP15: Green & Blue Infrastructure...................................................... 74
   • Policy DP16: Open space.............................................................................. 76
   • Policy DP17: Recreational horse keeping...................................................... 77
   • Policy DP18: Field shelters and stables......................................................... 78
   • Policy DP19: Maneges .................................................................................. 78
   • Policy SP20: Coastal development ................................................................ 79
   • Policy SP21: Coastal Change Management Area ......................................... 80
   • Policy SP22: Tranquillity ................................................................................ 82
   • Policy SP23: Dark skies................................................................................. 83
7. Protecting and Enhancing the Historic Environment........................... 85
   • Policy SP24: The historic and built environment ............................................ 87
   • Policy DP25: Heritage assets ........................................................................ 87
   • Policy DP26: Local distinctiveness................................................................. 91
   • Policy DP27: Design principles ...................................................................... 92
   • Policy DP28: Residential character of the Defined Villages........................... 93
8. Vibrant Communities........................................................................... 96
   • Policy SP29: New residential development in the National Park ................... 99
   • Policy SP30: Specialist housing for older people (Use Class C2) ............... 101
   • Policy SP31: The size of new dwellings ...................................................... 103
   • Policy SP32: Land at Whartons Lane, Ashurst ............................................ 105
   • Policy SP33: Land at Ashurst Hospital ........................................................ 106
   • Policy SP34: Land at Knellers Lane, Ashurst .............................................. 109
   • Policy SP35: Land at the former Lyndhurst Park Hotel, Lyndhurst ............. 111
   • Policy SP36: Land at Calpe Avenue, Lyndhurst.......................................... 113
   • Policy SP37: Land south of Church Lane, Sway ......................................... 115
   • Policy SP38: Land to west of Brighton Road, Sway .................................... 117
   • Policy SP39: Land to west of Winsor Road, Winsor .................................... 120
   • Policy SP40: Land to the south of Hamptworth Road, Landford.................. 123
   • Policy SP41: Land to the east of The Ridge, Redlynch ............................... 125
   • Policy SP42: Affordable housing provision within the Defined Villages and on allocated sites.............................................................................................. 128
   • Policy SP43: Rural exception sites............................................................... 129
   • Policy DP44: New Forest Commoners’ dwellings........................................ 131
   • Policy DP45: New Forest Estate Workers’ Dwellings .................................. 132
   • Policy DP46: New dwellings for agricultural and forestry workers ............... 133
   • Policy DP47: Removal of agricultural occupancy conditions ....................... 134
   • Policy SP48: Self and Custom House Building............................................ 135
   • Policy SP49: Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople..................... 136
   • Policy DP51: Replacement dwellings........................................................... 139
   • Policy DP52: Extensions to dwellings .......................................................... 140
   • Policy DP53: Outbuildings ........................................................................... 144
   • Policy SP54: Local community facilities ....................................................... 145
9. Thriving Local Economy..................................................................... 147
   • Policy SP55: Maintaining and improving business floorspace ..................... 152
   • Policy DP56: Redevelopment and extension to existing employment buildings ........................................................................................................ 153
   • Policy SP57: The land-based economy ....................................................... 155
   • Policy DP58: New agricultural and forestry related development ................. 155
   • Policy DP59: Reuse of farm buildings ......................................................... 156
   • Policy DP60: Loss of local retail facilities..................................................... 158
   • Policy DP61: Retail development outside of the Defined Village boundaries159
   • Policy SP62: Sustainable tourism development........................................... 159
   • Policy DP63: Holiday parks and camp sites ................................................ 161
   • Policy SP64: Telecommunications and digital Infrastructure........................ 163
10. Transport and Access ....................................................................... 165
    • Policy DP65: Transport infrastructure .......................................................... 168
    • Policy SP66: Sustainable transport and access........................................... 170
11. Monitoring and Implementation......................................................... 173
12. Annex 1: The special qualities of the New Forest National Park ................. 179
13. Annex 2: The New Forest National Park Design Code................................ 182
14. Annex 3: Car parking & cycle standards...................................................... 191
15. Annex 4: Local connection criteria............................................................... 193
16. Annex 5: Glossary ....................................................................................... 195

1. Introduction and Background

1.1. The planning system plays a key role in keeping our national parks special and ensuring they remain living, working landscapes. It is for this reason that the Government, through primary legislation, has made national park authorities the sole planning authorities for their respective areas. As part of its statutory planning role, the New Forest National Park Authority is required to prepare, monitor and review a Local Plan for the National Park. Once adopted, the Local Plan forms part of the statutory ‘development plan’ (alongside any ‘made’ Neighbourhood Plans and the separate Minerals and Waste Local Plan) for the New Forest and is the principal guide for planning decisions within the National Park. The Local Plan focuses on the area within the National Park boundary, and it is the responsibilities of our neighbouring planning authorities to prepare the development plans for their respective areas outside the National Park.

1.2. Key aspects of national policy and statute pertinent to National Parks are set out in the National Parks & Access to the Countryside Act 1949, the Environment Act 1995, the Levelling Up & Regeneration Act 2023, as well as the National Planning Policy Framework and associated guidance. This includes the statutory National Park purposes; the relationship between the two purposes; the Authority’s socio-economic duty; and the legal requirement placed on relevant bodies – including national park authorities - to seek to further the Park purposes in undertaking their functions. It is this framework that the New Forest National Park Local Plan is prepared under and operates within.

Links to other plans and strategies

1.3. The Local Plan aims to deliver the long-term planning vision for the New Forest National Park and forms a key part of the statutory ‘development plan’ for the area. National policy contained within the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and guidance within the National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG) also form material considerations when preparing the Local Plan.

1.4. The Environment Act 1995 also requires each National Park Authority to prepare a National Park Management Plan. The Management Plan – or Partnership Plan – is the overarching strategic document for the National Park and is intended to guide the work of all organisations within the National Park (not just the Authority). Although Management Plans do not form part of the statutory development plan, they should be taken into account in preparing Local Plans and may also be material considerations in assessing planning applications. In 2027 the New Forest National Park Partnership Plan will be updated and will set out a series of actions to be taken forward over the following five years, many of which have land use implications to be reflected in the Local Plan.

1.5. In addition to the development plan documents, Supplementary Planning Documents can provide more detail on planning policies, as well as specific strategies to guide the delivery of the two statutory Park purposes. These latter documents are not formal planning documents but provide detailed guidance on important issues within the National Park.

1.6. Since the adoption of the first set of New Forest National Park-wide planning policies in 2010 there have been significant changes in national policy, which continues to confirm that national parks have the highest level of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. In addition, the statutory National Park purposes originally established through the National Parks & Access to the Countryside Act 1949 remain and are supplemented by the Environment Act 1995. Changes introduced through Section 245 of the Levelling Up & Regeneration Act 2023 require ‘relevant bodies’ to seek to further these statutory National Park purposes in undertaking their functions. This strengthened duty applies to a wide range of bodies, including national park authorities, constituent local authorities and statutory undertakers.

Supplementary Planning Documents

Strategies and Plans, including the Bird Aware Solent Mitigation Strategy and the Landscape Action Plan

New Forest National Park Management / Partnership Plan

National Planning Policy Framework / Planning Practice Guidance

New Forest National Park Local Plan 2024 - 2043

1.7. The Environment Act 2021 introduced a new system of plans for nature recovery across England, known as Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS). These aim to map out areas of wildlife, identify opportunities for improvement, and prioritize local actions to restore and enhance nature, in partnership with local stakeholders and landowners. Regulations introduced in 2023 set out how these strategies will be prepared by responsible bodies – typically County Councils. The production of each LNRS is evidence-based, locally led and collaborative, to create a network of shared plans that public, private and voluntary sectors can all help to deliver. Natural England lead the Government’s involvement, and they work alongside each of the Responsible Authorities to help shape the strategy and ensure overall consistency. The preparation of each LNRS is also supported by the Environment Agency and the Forestry Commission.

1.8. As the New Forest National Park is currently covered by two county council areas, two LNRSs apply to the National Park area. The strategies will be used to:

• guide investment into local priorities for protection and enhancement;
• help shape how future funding for farming and land management such as the Environment Land Management schemes will be used;
• map areas of opportunity for the use of 'nature-based solutions' to wider environmental problems like flooding, climate change mitigation and adaptation or poor water quality;
• guide mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) investments; and
• provide a source of evidence for local planning authorities, helping to understand locations important for conserving and restoring biodiversity.

1.9. The Local Nature Recovery Strategy for Hampshire was approved and published on 8 December 2025, following consultation during May and June 2025. The Wiltshire and Swindon LNRS covers the northern part of the national park and was subject to consultation between March and April 2025 and was approved in October 2025.

1.10. In addition, the New Forest National Park Local Plan is informed by a wide range of evidence base studies, including a Strategic Flood Risk Assessment; Whole-Plan Viability Assessment; Employment & Business Needs Survey; and an objective assessment of housing needs arising within the National Park. The policies in the Local Plan have also been assessed against a number of environmental, economic and social indicators as part of a Sustainability Appraisal (SA) / Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) and Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA).

Overview of the New Forest National Park

1.11. The New Forest National Park was designated in 2005 and covers an area of 220 square miles within the counties of Hampshire and Wiltshire. The National Park operates within a detailed planning policy and legislative framework which is set out below. National parks have two statutory purposes that set out the main reasons for their designation and describe the overall focus for their management.

The two purposes as set out in primary legislation are the ‘golden threads’ running through the Local Plan:

• to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the New Forest; and
• to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the New Forest by the public.

1.12. In taking forward the two National Park purposes, National Park Authorities also have a duty under Section 62(1) of the Environment Act 1995 to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities within the National Park. The New Forest is a living-working area, home to 2,500 local businesses and nearly 35,000 residents. More detail is set out in Chapter 2 Profile of the New Forest National Park. All relevant authorities are required to seek to further the two purposes in any work that may affect the area and make every effort to reconcile any conflict between the two. If such efforts fail, then only as a measure of last resort should the first purpose take precedence. This is known as the Sandford Principle and is a well-established principle, dating back decades.

1.13. These statutory purposes, the related socio-economic duty and the strengthened legal requirement to seek to further the purposes in the delivery of the Authority’s planning functions form the underlying themes running through this Local Plan. The vision for the National Park, and strategic objectives (Chapter 3) are drawn from these purposes, duty and the special qualities of the National Park. In addition, the review of the Local Plan has provided an opportunity to reflect its synergies with the Partnership Plan.

The New Forest National Park Partnership Plan 2022 – 2027

1.14. The central role of the Partnership Plan (published July 2022) is to guide and co-ordinate the work of all those with an interest in, and influence on, the National Park in delivering its purposes and duty. This includes organisations with statutory responsibilities, land management interests, businesses, local communities and user groups.

1.15. The Plan outlines the key drivers and challenges facing the National Park and sets out how these will be addressed collectively. It sets out an overall approach to managing the National Park for the next five years, which will frame more detailed policies and actions over this period. The Plan will guide and align the priorities and resources of the National Park Authority with those of partner organisations, businesses and communities.

1.16. The vision for the Partnership Plan to 2050 is “The Vision for the New Forest is to be a national beacon for a sustainable future, where nature and people flourish”. To support the vision a number of objectives are expressed which have strong links with the Local Plan:

• people live and work sustainably, having successfully adapted to the impacts of the climate emergency and supporting nature’s recovery and resilience;
• all communities and visitors are better informed and gain inspiration, health and well-being and enjoy the extensive areas accessible across the National Park whilst respecting the fragile nature, unique environment and rich culture of the New Forest;
• tranquillity and a feeling of naturalness pervade large parts of the New Forest;
• facilities such as car parks, campsites, walking and cycling routes and community green spaces are in the right places to both protect rare wildlife and to provide a better, more informed experience for people;
• everyone contributes to caring for the National Park as a special place for present and future generations;
• the mosaic of distinctive landscapes and habitats have been conserved and greatly enhanced, supporting wildlife to recover and flourish;
• there is a strong sense, understanding of and support for the heritage and living culture of the New Forest, especially the local tradition of commoning;
• local, regional and national organisations recognise and work to enhance the value of the National Park; there is an appreciation of its importance and role within the wider area.

1.17. The Partnership Plan goes on to identify five themes based ‘agendas for action’, set below. To ensure that the Local Plan reflects where possible, not only the special qualities of the National Park, but also the themes of the Partnership Plan, each chapter precedes with a commentary of how these all relate.

Cross-boundary planning issues

1.18. The Localism Act 2011 introduced a legal requirement for planning authorities – including national park authorities – to cooperate on strategic cross-boundary planning matters. The ‘duty to cooperate’ aims to ensure that neighbouring authorities continue to engage with each other constructively. Although this duty has been reformed, there remains a requirement for relevant authorities to work constructively on cross-boundary matters in plan-making.

1.19. The National Park Authority is well placed to fulfil this requirement due to:

• Its coordinating role in the preparation and adoption of the National Park Management Plan. The Partnership Plan (see above) is overseen by a group of statutory bodies working alongside the National Park Authority and this has helped establish good working arrangements between the respective authorities. This includes a ‘Partnership Plan Leaders’ Panel’ which brings together senior representatives of the main bodies in the New Forest.
• The National Park Authority is the statutory planning authority for the National Park, but the constituent authorities retain their responsibilities for housing, economic development, flooding, environmental health, highways and education in the New Forest. The National Park Authority has therefore always worked closely with its constituent authorities on these matters.
• The membership of the National Park Authority is drawn from constituent local authorities and town and parish councils across the National Park, thereby ensuring good links across the tiers of local government.

1.20. The main areas of strategic cross-boundary planning interest are:

• Habitat protection – over half of the National Park is designated as being of international importance for nature conservation. This includes all 26 miles of the National Park’s coastline and the designated habitats in the heart of the New Forest. Consequently, there is a shared need to ensure that the planned level of development within the National Park and surrounding areas does not adversely impact on the integrity of the New Forest’s protected habitats.
• Housing provision – there is a significant housing need within the New Forest and surrounding areas. The Government recognises that national parks are not appropriate locations for major development and unrestricted housing and is clear that unmet needs should be considered through cooperation with surrounding authorities.
• Transport – the National Park Authority is not the statutory highway authority for the National Park area, and it is therefore important the Authority liaises closely with the bodies with that responsibility. This includes active travel and the Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plans, as well as the traffic implications of major schemes close to the National Park boundary.

National policy and guidance

1.21. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) and Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG, first issued in 2014) set out the Government’s planning policies and guidance relevant to the work of all planning authorities. They constitute guidance for planning authorities and decision-takers in drawing up plans and are a material consideration in determining applications. The development plan remains the starting point for determining applications, and planning law requires that applications for planning permission must be determined in accordance with the development plan unless material considerations indicate otherwise.

1.22. The NPPF states that local plans should set out the strategic priorities for the area. This should include policies to deliver the homes and jobs needed in the area and conservation and enhancement of the environment, including landscape. National parks are identified as areas where development should be restricted and the NPPF confirms that national parks have the highest status of protection in relation to landscape and scenic beauty.

1.23. The UK Government National Parks Vision and Circular provides policy guidance specifically for the English National Parks and for all those whose decisions or actions might affect them. The Circular calls for a renewed focus on achieving the two National Park purposes and for the fostering of vibrant, healthy and productive living and working communities.

1.24. In 2024 the Government published their ‘Protected Landscapes Targets & Outcomes Framework’. To support Protected Landscapes in meeting their potential for nature, climate, people and place, the Government has established ambitious targets for National Parks and National Landscapes. These targets will promote the actions that are most needed to achieve positive changes, and the New Forest National Park Local Plan has a role in the delivery of the Government’s apportioned targets for the New Forest National Park.

1.25. The NPPF, National Parks Circular, NPPG and Protected Landscapes Targets & Outcomes Framework for the New Forest have been taken into account in the preparation of this Local Plan.

Neighbourhood Plans

1.26. A number of the towns and parishes within the National Park have prepared Neighbourhood Plans and these have been ‘made’ following consultation and examination. The examination process requires draft neighbourhood plans to meet the ‘basic conditions’ as set out in legislation. One of these is compliance with the strategic policies in the Local Plan. Hence this Local Plan includes both strategic policies (prefixed with ‘SP’) and more detailed development management policies (prefixed with ‘DP’). This form of numbering enables local communities to understand which are the strategic planning policies that they should be in general conformity with in preparing Neighbourhood Plans.

1.27. As Neighbourhood Plans are typically town or parish-based, several cross over into the current administrative areas of New Forest District Council or Test Valley Borough Council.

Minerals and waste planning framework

1.28. The New Forest National Park Authority is the minerals and waste planning authority for the whole of the National Park. This statutory role includes the preparation and adoption of the planning policy framework for minerals and waste development within the Park. The Authority works in partnership with the other minerals and waste planning authorities in Hampshire and has adopted the following planning policy documents.

1.29. The Hampshire Minerals & Waste Plan (adopted 2026) forms part of the statutory development plan for the National Park. The Plan covers the whole of the New Forest National Park, including the area within south Wiltshire. The plan is supported by the following Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs):

• Oil & Gas Development in Hampshire SPD (adopted 2016); and
• Minerals & Waste Safeguarding in Hampshire (adopted 2016).

1.30. With this separate policy framework in place for minerals and waste development in the Park, the New Forest National Park Local Plan does not cover minerals and waste planning matters.

Planning enforcement

1.31. To support the protection afforded to the New Forest as a nationally designated landscape, the Authority has a dedicated planning enforcement team to ensure that unauthorised development is not harmful to the National Park, its special qualities and to protect the amenities of residents. In accordance with the NPPF the Authority has adopted a Local Enforcement Plan that sets out the policy and procedures for enforcing planning control in the Park.

2. Profile of the New Forest

2.1. The local communities within the National Park are continually changing and adapting to modern life, but remarkably the Forest has largely escaped the effects brought about elsewhere by large scale development and intensive agriculture. This includes Commoners – holders of ancient rights that allow their livestock (mainly ponies, cattle, donkeys and pigs) to roam freely across the Open Forest. The villages retain their local character and distinctiveness and the medieval landscape of the ‘Nova Foresta’ – William the Conqueror’s royal hunting forest – is still apparent. Today the National Park attracts large numbers of visitors each year, who come to enjoy the peace and quiet, wandering livestock, natural beauty and wildlife of one of the last ancient, unspoilt and open landscapes in England.

Area and population

2.2. The New Forest National Park covers 567 square kilometres (220 square miles). In 2022 the National Park had a population of 34,931 people¹ and with around 62 people per square kilometre it is the second most densely populated British National Park after the South Downs. The housing stock amounts to 15,503 dwellings (New Forest Housing Needs Assessment, Iceni, 2025). The main settlements of Ashurst, Brockenhurst, Burley, Cadnam, Landford, Lyndhurst and Sway have between 1,000 and 3,500 residents. Average house prices in the New Forest are significantly higher than surrounding areas, with an average property price more than 12 times the average annual earnings. This means the New Forest has the highest average house price of any UK National Park.

¹ New Forest Housing Needs Assessment, Iceni (2025)

Landscape character

2.3. The New Forest Landscape Character Assessment (2015) describes 19 character areas. A Landscape Action Plan for the National Park extends the landscape assessment work and provides guidance for individuals and organisations wanting to help enhance and conserve the special landscape character of the area. At the heart of the New Forest is an extensive area of unenclosed woodland, grassland and heath which is of international nature conservation importance and is maintained largely by the grazing of Commoners’ stock. Recent figures show that around 10,500 animals are depastured on the Open Forest by over 700 practising Commoners². This historic form of land management faces threats from the high land and property costs and this Local Plan includes several policies that seek to support commoning due to its importance for the cultural heritage of the Forest; and the contribution it makes to land management and landscape character.

Nature conservation

2.4. In total 56% of the New Forest National Park is designated of international value for nature conservation – the highest proportion of land in any planning authority area in the country. The New Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar sites cover more than 300 square kilometres in the core of the New Forest, including the most extensive area of heathland and valley mire in lowland Europe. Much of the coastline is similarly designated, principally for the populations of wintering wildfowl and waders and a framework is in place along the Solent (including the National Park) to ensure the impacts of new residential development on the coast are mitigated.

Cultural heritage

2.5. The National Park contains a wealth of designated and non-designated heritage assets. There are more than 340 Bronze Age barrows, a number of fine Iron Age hill forts, and numerous remnants of medieval and later buildings, enclosures and other earthworks associated with the royal forest. The main rivers supported a boat and shipbuilding industry, and the coastal salt workings were among the most important in the country during the 18th Century. The National Park has 187 scheduled monuments, 624 listed buildings and 17 designated conservation areas, plus three which straddle the National Park boundary with surrounding authorities. In addition to the nationally listed buildings, there are well over 2,000 non-designated heritage assets. There are also seven registered historic parks and gardens, four of which are grade II*.

² Verderers of the New Forest data (2024)

2.6. The cultural heritage of the National Park extends beyond its rich built environment and includes the strong cultural identity and affinity the communities of the Forest feel towards the landscape and way of living. There is long history of commoning in the New Forest and the Commoners’ stock comprising ponies, donkeys, pigs and cattle that roam free across the Open Forest are a key part of the ‘special qualities’ of the National Park, often being described as the ‘architects of the Forest’. Commoning has helped shape the mosaic of landscapes, biodiversity and character of the National Park and is essential to the land-based economy and management of the Open Forest. This Local Plan includes several local planning policies designed to support commoning and the central role it plays in the cultural heritage of the National Park.

Access and recreation

2.7. The New Forest has 42 kilometres of coastline, 325 kilometres of Public Rights of Way (PRoW), and over 30,000 hectares of accessible land (more than 50% of the area of the National Park). This provides numerous opportunities for quiet recreation. Tranquillity and a sense of remoteness can be found in many parts of the National Park. In addition, the major attractions, including Buckler’s Hard, Lepe Country Park, Calshot Activities Centre, the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu, Paulton’s Park, and the villages of Lyndhurst, Brockenhurst, Beaulieu and Burley attract people throughout the year.

2.8. Research by RJS Associates (2019) indicated that there were over 15 million visitor days spent per annum in the New Forest National Park – an increase of over 12% since the previous assessment was undertaken in 2004. Research commissioned by the Authority, New Forest District Council, Natural England and Forestry England and other local planning authorities³ estimated that housing development in the period up to 2036 within 25 kilometres of the New Forest will result in an increase of around 11.4% in the number of visits to the New Forest’s designated sites. Visitors help to support the local services of the New Forest and make a positive contribution to the economy. There are also pressures resulting from visitor pressures on the local communities, landscape and habitats of the New Forest and the National Park Authority works with a wide range of partners to seek to manage these. Many of these measures do not require planning permission, but where they do this Local Plan sets the policy framework.

³ Recreation use of the New Forest SAC/SPA/Ramsar: Overview of visitor results and implications of housing change on visitor numbers’, Footprint Ecology (2020)

Communities and settlement pattern

2.9. The local communities of the New Forest have a strong cultural identity; with a wealth of local traditions, and there remains an active commoning community. There are 37 parish and town councils wholly or partly within the National Park.

2.10. The larger villages of Ashurst, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Sway have been identified as ‘Defined Villages’ within local planning policies for several decades due to their character, population and the range of facilities and services they provide.

2.11. Other smaller settlements with a basic range of local services within the National Park include Beaulieu, Burley, Cadnam - Bartley, East Boldre, Landford - Nomansland, Netley Marsh, Redlynch and Woodgreen. This Local Plan identifies three additional Smaller Defined Villages that provide some services for local people. The surrounding urban areas of Southampton, Bournemouth and Salisbury are easily reached by rail or road from the National Park and provide a wide range of housing, shops, leisure facilities and employment opportunities. The towns of Lymington, New Milton, Ringwood, Totton and the Waterside are important local employment centres and provide services to meet most of the needs of National Park residents.

Economy

2.12. While the National Park is predominantly rural in nature, the economy is diverse and is highly integrated with its surrounding areas. There are around 2,500 businesses in the National Park, reflecting a very broad range and types of businesses, with the largest sector, in terms of the numbers of individual businesses, being professional, scientific and technical services. Residents of the National Park are employed in a wide range of businesses and services, with the health sector; tourism; wholesale and retail; professional and technical services; and education all being particularly important employers. Only a small proportion of employment is now found in traditional rural land-based activities such as farming, forestry and commoning, but these activities remain vital in maintaining the land use management practices that help conserve the landscape character of the National Park. Unemployment within the National Park has remained at lower levels than in the South East and the UK as a whole over the last decade. Looking forward, a decline in the working age population is forecast.

2.13. In delivering the two statutory National Park purposes, the Authority has a duty to foster the socio-economic well-being of the communities within the National Park. The English National Parks and the Broads UK Government Vision and Circular (2010) confirms that national park authorities should continue to focus their expenditure on the delivery of their statutory purposes, while seeking to maximise the socio-economic benefits available from such activity. Experience to date has shown that by harnessing the economy to environmental ends, tangible economic benefits can be delivered through the statutory purposes whilst at the same time achieving those purposes⁴.

⁴ Paragraph 66, English National Parks and the Broads UK Government Vision and Circular, 2010

Transport

2.14. The National Park is crossed by several major routes which carry high volumes of traffic. The A31, linking South West England with Southampton and the wider South East, is the most heavily used road in the National Park, carrying over 70,000 vehicles daily and effectively cuts the area in two. Major roads in the Plan area cause severance issues which have a significant impact on the use of active travel. The National Park is well-served for long-distance rail travel, with connections at Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst and Sway. Lymington – located just outside the National Park – also has two train stations which link with the Isle of Wight ferry. There are a number of regular scheduled public bus services, including a regular service between Southampton and Lymington, via Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst. However, many of the rural settlements are less well-served and here public transport is not a practical option for the majority of residents.

2.15. During the summer months the New Forest Tour bus operates three interlinked routes across the National Park and is aimed at both visitors and residents.

2.16. Southampton and Bournemouth Airports are located within close proximity to the National Park. Plans for the expansion of both airports are set out in the respective Airport Masterplans, with combined annual aircraft movements predicted to increase over the plan-period in line with the consented developments at the airports. The scale of the impact of this increase of passenger aircraft flights will depend on future flight paths and the extent of improvements in aircraft engine technology.

2.17. Southampton is a major international gateway port with significant global and economic importance. Land at Dibden Bay, adjoining the National Park and also referred to as the ‘Strategic Land Reserve’, has been identified as the only area of land physically capable of accommodating significant expansion of the port in the draft Port of Southampton Masterplan 2016-2035. The Waterside area of the New Forest also includes several of the designated Solent Freeport tax and customs sites. This includes part of the Fawley Waterside Solent Freeport site that is located partly within the boundary of the New Forest National Park – the only case in England that a Freeport occurs within a national park. Any future development proposals for the Strategic Land Reserve, and Fawley Waterside in particular, must have regard to the Government’s National Policy Statement on Ports; potential impacts on the adjacent New Forest National Park (as required by the strengthened Section 62(2) of the Environment Act 1995); national planning policy on major development in national parks; and the legal requirements of the Habitats Regulations.

3. Vision and objectives

3.1. The Local Plan aims to deliver sustainable development within the context of a nationally protected landscape, in conformity with the statutory National Park purposes; the objectives of national planning policy; the national agenda for nature recovery and addressing the impacts of climate change in National Parks; and the ambitions in the New Forest National Park Partnership Plan. The vision and objectives for the Local Plan set out how the New Forest will be at the end of the Plan period in 2043.

3.2. The vision has been informed by the ‘Special Qualities’ of the National Park. The special qualities of the New Forest are those qualities that define it, make it unique, immediately recognisable and, when taken together, distinguish it from all other parts of the country. These qualities are fundamental to the two purposes of the National Park and are the underlying reason for its designation and include:

• The New Forest’s outstanding natural beauty
• An extraordinary diversity of plants and animals and habitats of national and international importance
• A unique historic, cultural and archaeological heritage
• An historic commoning system
• The iconic New Forest pony
• Tranquillity
• Wonderful opportunities for quiet recreation
• A healthy environment
• Strong and distinctive local communities

3.3. These special qualities of the New Forest were identified through public consultation, and further details are set out in Annex 1 of this Local Plan.

Key challenges for the Local Plan

3.4. The Local Plan has a key role in addressing the planning and land use challenges likely to affect the National Park over the next 15 years, including:

• Conserving and enhancing the nationally protected landscape of the New Forest in the face of various pressures – the outstanding natural beauty of the New Forest’s landscape is the primary reason for its designation as a National Park and the area has the highest status of landscape protection in the NPPF.
• Safeguarding the New Forest National Park from adverse impacts from development outside the Park. The Government requires new homes to be built at a significant scale in the areas surrounding the National Park, some of which have also been identified for special treatment to boost economic growth through Freeport designation. The New Forest is a national asset and managing these impacts will require close collaboration with neighbouring authorities and stakeholders and is not something this Local Plan can achieve alone.
• Ensuring the impacts of new development on the nationally and internationally protected habitats of the New Forest are avoided or fully mitigated – over half of the National Park is designated as being of international importance for nature conservation and new development must not impact on the integrity of the New Forest and its coastal habitats. In addition, the Government has set ambitious targets for nature recovery in National Parks that the New Forest has an important role in delivering.
• Addressing the causes and impacts of climate change on the New Forest National Park through a range of measures consistent with the statutory National Park purposes – the focus on responding to the nature and climate emergency declared by the Authority in 2019 will be on nature-based solutions, high quality design and energy efficiency, renewable technology and local community initiatives, contributing towards meeting net zero targets.
• Developing a positive strategy for the conservation and enhancement of local distinctiveness and heritage assets within the New Forest’s built environment – the New Forest has a rich built and cultural heritage, and its conservation is key to the delivery of the first statutory National Park purpose.
• Delivering new housing to help address local needs while at the same time ensuring development does not compromise the delivery of the two statutory National Park purposes – national planning policy recognises that national park authorities have an important role to play in delivering housing for local people within the context of a nationally protected landscape.
• Sustaining a diverse local economy – in delivering the two statutory Park purposes, the Authority has a duty to foster the socio-economic well-being of the 35,000 people living within the National Park. This includes the land-based economy, with the future of commoning core to the long-term management of the New Forest and its cultural heritage.
• Supporting sustainable tourism and recreation within the National Park – the New Forest attracts millions of visitors each year and the Authority has a statutory purpose to promote the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities. Recreational use of the New Forest should not compromise the tranquillity, dark skies or the tradition of commoning within the National Park. Increasing pressures can have detrimental impacts on the New Forest National Park’s habitats, landscape, wildlife and local communities. These impacts need to be effectively managed, and this goes wider than the role of the planning system.

3.5. Many of the challenges set out above are consistent with those expressed in the New Forest National Park Partnership Plan which includes reference to:

• Climate and nature emergencies
• Responding to recreational pressures
• Traffic and transport
• Commoning, farming and land management
• Affordable housing
• Connecting with people
• Working together

Strategic objectives

3.6. The vision and key challenges facing the New Forest have been translated into nine strategic objectives, which are consistent with those in the National Park Partnership Plan and reflect the Authority’s overarching remit in delivering the two statutory purposes and the related socio-economic duty, namely:

1. to conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the New Forest; and
2. to promote opportunities for the understanding and enjoyment of the special qualities of the New Forest by the public.

3.7. The National Park Authority has a statutory duty to seek to further these purposes in the delivery of its functions – including through the planning system. The Authority also has a duty under Section 62(1) of the Environment Act 1995 in taking forward the two Park purposes to seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities within the New Forest National Park.

3.8. The policies within the Local Plan will contribute towards meeting the vision and strategic objectives and will also help deliver the ambition and a range of priority actions identified in the New Forest National Park Partnership Plan.

Local Plan policies

3.9. Section 38(6) of the Planning & Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 sets out the role of the ‘development plan’ in the planning system. This Local Plan forms a key part of the statutory development plan for the New Forest National Park. The policies in the Local Plan include both strategic policies (prefixed with ‘SP’) and more detailed development management policies (prefixed with ‘DP’). This Local Plan policy numbering enables local communities to understand which are the strategic planning policies that they should be in general conformity with in preparing Neighbourhood Development Plans. It should also be emphasised that all the policies contained within the Local Plan have equal ‘development plan’ status within the plan-led planning system.

4. Strategic Policies and Development Principles

4.1. This part of the Local Plan sets out the spatial strategy and how future development in the National Park will be managed over the plan period. At the heart of the Local Plan is the delivery of sustainable development and responding to the climate and nature emergencies in so far as they relate to planning. Accordingly, all of the strategic objectives apply, as do the Park’s special qualities and links to the themes identified in the Partnership Plan.

Supporting sustainable development

4.2. The NPPF states that local plans should contribute to the achievement of sustainable development. It sets out a presumption in favour of sustainable development, which should run through both plan-making and decision-taking. In addition, the National Parks Circular (2010) states that the national park authorities’ primary responsibility is to deliver their statutory purposes and duties with a focus on economic and social well-being. More recently the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act has the strengthened the protected landscapes⁵ duty. This requires relevant authorities to ‘seek to further’ the statutory purposes of Protected Landscapes and in doing so, this reinforces National Parks being exemplars in achieving sustainable development.

4.3. There are three dimensions to sustainability:

• a social role – supporting strong, vibrant and healthy communities, through the supply of housing, accessible local services and by creating a high-quality built and natural environment;
• an environmental role – protection and enhancement of the natural, built and historic environments, adapting to climate change, and making efficient use of natural resources while minimising waste and preventing pollution; and
• an economic role – contributing to a strong, responsive and competitive economy, by supporting local businesses and land managers.

4.4. Policy SP1 takes a positive approach to sustainable development in accordance with the NPPF, recognising the protection afforded to national parks in national planning policy and having full regard to the statutory National Park purposes and related duties.

4.5. There is also increasing recognition of the wider sustainability benefits that national parks offer to society, through their inherent natural capital (natural assets). These benefits are commonly referred to as ‘ecosystem services’ and cover the services provided by the landscape and habitats of national parks. A report was produced in 2019 which assessed the New Forest’s valuable natural assets or ‘natural capital’, such as rivers, soils and woodland, and how these can be managed to benefit society. The public goods provided by the New Forest were identified as:

Source: NFNPA Natural Capital Report (2019)

4.6. The report concluded that the extent and condition of most natural capital assets in the New Forest was good and either static or improving. Key reasons related to the support for commoning, promoting both quality and quantity of grazing livestock, the restoration of commercial forestry enclosures to grazed heath and improvement to watercourses to a more naturally functioning state. Factors responsible for declining extent or condition include the changing climate, intrusion and disturbance from human activities and economic pressures.

4.7. A key element of natural capital is providing benefits to people’s health and well-being (Natural Health Service) through their enjoyment of the National Parks’ special qualities:

Source: NFNPA Natural Capital Report (2019)

4.8. Consequently, there is a key role for the Local Plan Review to influence where it can those matters that affect the natural capital to ensure its inherent elements continue to prosper, as expressed in Policy SP1.

4.9. This approach is consistent with the NPPF which sets out a presumption in favour of sustainable development and indicates where development should be restricted, including sites protected under the Habitats Directive, Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and land within a national park.

4.10. National policy is clear that objectively assessed needs should be met unless “any adverse impacts of doing so would significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits, when assessed against the policies in the Framework taken as a whole” (NPPF para 11b.ii).

4.11. The Authority will encourage and support the use of natural sustainable materials in the design of new development and for these to be sourced locally. This also benefits the local economy and supports land managers in the Park.

4.12. The Waste Hierarchy establishes the preferred order of waste management actions based on their environmental impact and is embedded within national legislation and planning policy requirements. The hierarchy places prevention as the most desirable option, aimed at avoiding the creation of waste. This is followed by reuse, which promotes the continued use of products and materials. Recycling enables waste materials to be processed into new products, while recovery encompasses the extraction of value – such as energy – from residual waste. The principles of prevention, reuse, recycling, and resource recovery underpin a circular economy approach and should guide sustainable development proposals.

4.13. In line with the requirements of national policy, Policy SP1 sets out the overarching approach to the delivery of sustainable development within the context of a nationally protected landscape. This strategic policy is supported by a number of more detailed policies throughout the Local Plan on specific aspects and the following general development principles that the Authority expects all development within the National Park to be considered against.

4.14. High-quality design, as defined by the NPPF and National Design Guide, is development that is sustainable, functional and responsive to its context – not simply aesthetic. It should create durable places that strengthen local character and support community well-being. Key principles include using sustainably sourced high-quality materials, incorporating effective landscaping, and providing a strong sense of place that functions well throughout its lifetime.

4.15. Development should actively promote health and well-being through a holistic approach that encourages physical activity, social interaction, and mental resilience to promote safe and healthy communities, in line with the NPPF. Proposals should improve access to green space, support inclusive and public realms, and integrate design measures that reduce health inequalities, including those affecting rural areas and those exacerbated by climate change. These principles are enshrined in the Building for a Healthy Life⁷ and Healthy Streets Approach which are summarised in the table below.

⁷ Building for a Healthy Life, Homes England (2020)

Spatial strategy

4.16. Planning in the New Forest National Park is underpinned by the delivery of the two statutory Park purposes and the related socio-economic duty. These purposes and duty apply across the whole of the designated National Park. The focus of new development will be on small-scale proposals that reflect the area’s character and address the needs of local communities in the National Park, rather than catering for external demand.

4.17. The New Forest is a rural area with small, dispersed settlements that generally have a limited range of facilities. None of the villages within the National Park have populations greater than 3,500 people and higher order services are normally provided in the larger towns and urban areas that fringe the National Park. The Local Plan sets out where new development will take place in line with the principles of sustainable development and the statutory framework of the National Park purposes.

4.18. National policy confirms that planning should actively manage patterns of growth to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling, and concentrate significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable. Sustainable development in rural areas should be promoted by focusing development where it will enhance or maintain the vitality of rural communities and sustain the settlements over the long term, by supporting local services.

4.19. This Local Plan has provided the opportunity to revise the spatial strategy and how new development is distributed across the National Park. Establishing a settlement hierarchy is a recognised tool to distinguish between settlements in terms of their size, employment opportunities, transport links and range of services and facilities. At the top of the hierarchy will be settlements that fulfil the most functions and are the most sustainable. Below this will be settlements that offer a smaller range of services and facilities, whilst providing those set out as ‘key’ within the Settlement Hierarchy Review Topic Paper. Smaller, less sustainable, settlements with fewer services and facilities will be towards the bottom of the hierarchy.

4.20. Given the range of villages within the New Forest, the villages of Ashurst, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Sway (Larger Defined Villages) have in the past provided a focus for new development and currently together these villages provide homes for around one third of all National Park residents.

4.21. In line with national policy, future development in the National Park is likely to be modest, but it will be important to ensure that the main villages continue to prosper. Consequently, a review of the settlement hierarchy has concluded there are other ‘Smaller Defined Villages’ which offer a basic range of facilities and services and could offer opportunities for sustainable development, these being Cadnam - Bartley, Landford - Nomansland and Redlynch.

4.22. Consequently, together these ‘Larger Defined Villages’ and ‘Smaller Defined Villages’ are considered to be the most sustainable settlements in the National Park as they have the broadest range of community facilities, local employment opportunities, transport links and a good range of other services for residents and visitors. The strategic approach for these villages seeks to:

• sustain and enhance the local services and facilities in the villages;
• support the important role of the villages in the local tourism economy;
• support the provision of appropriate housing, employment, retail and community facilities; and
• conserve the distinctive character and heritage of the villages.

4.23. The remaining settlements in the National Park are significantly smaller and have a more limited range of services, facilities and transport accessibility. The relatively small and scattered nature of these rural settlements means that the level of development will be more limited, but it is important that local communities across the National Park continue to thrive. The Spatial Strategy therefore supports the provision of affordable housing for local people in and adjoining these smaller settlements through the rural exception policy to help to address local housing needs. It also enables the delivery of housing specifically for New Forest Commoners, Estate Workers, and dwellings tied to the rural economy. In addition, the Local Plan supports the provision of employment opportunities and essential local community facilities to support the sustainability of local communities.

4.24. A matter not to be overlooked is the proximity of the National Park to surrounding urban areas which provide a range of services, including but not limited to Downton, Fordingbridge, Ringwood, New Milton, Lymington, Hythe and Dibden, Totton and Eling and Romsey.

4.25. The spatial strategy recognises the importance of positively managing recreation and visitor activity across the National Park. This includes enhancing access and recreation provision in the most appropriate locations, increasing opportunities for walking, wheeling, cycling and other sustainable forms of travel, and ensuring that the Park’s most sensitive habitats and landscapes are protected. By planning where recreation takes place, the strategy seeks to balance the enjoyment of the National Park with the conservation of its special qualities.

4.26. The evidence base⁸ for the New Forest National Park Local Plan indicates a housing need of circa 260 dwellings per annum. This figure is the starting point for the plan-making process. It is a ‘policy off’ assessment of need that does not factor in the range of nationally and internationally important landscape and nature conservation designations in the New Forest National Park. Consequently, considering the environmental designations and revised settlement hierarchy, the Local Plan makes provision for around 950 homes over the plan period to 2043 – equivalent to about 50 per annum – taking into account existing commitments and completions since April 2024. This scale of development will stabilise the population of the National Park and help support local services within the Park.

4.27. Employment evidence⁹ also suggests that the strategy for the Local Plan should be to retain existing employment provision and allow modest expansions and/or intensification where appropriate. There is also a need for an increase in employment floorspace, as evidenced by the Economic Needs Assessment. The total amount required over the plan period is in the region of 13,500 square metres and whilst some will be delivered through small-scale redevelopment and intensification schemes, the Local Plan also allocates part of the Solent Freeport site within the National Park for employment purposes.

4.28. With regard to retail provision, there is no specific need requirement identified for the National Park, the focus being on retaining existing provision and having a supportive policy to ensure local retail facilities and services are retained and allowed to expand where appropriate.

4.29. The Local Plan makes provision for pitches and plots for Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople as evidenced in the Gypsy & Traveller Accommodation Assessment¹⁰ through a site allocation and a criteria-based policy.

Accordingly, the spatial strategy for the plan period 2024 – 2043 is set out below and settlement boundaries have been accordingly applied. The Key Diagram that follows illustrates the basic spatial strategy in the New Forest National Park.

Key Diagram (key to be included before publication)

Major development in the New Forest National Park

4.30. National planning policy dating back many decades has contained a clear presumption against major new development in national parks because of the harm it would cause to the long-term national interest in conserving these landscapes. Major development is therefore only permitted within protected landscapes in exceptional circumstances and where it can be demonstrated that it is in the public interest, as outlined in the NPPF.

4.31. The NPPG states that it will be a matter for the relevant decision taker as to whether a proposed development within the National Park should be treated as major development, taking into account the proposal in question and the local context. For the purposes of Policy SP4, the term ‘major development’ will not be restricted to the definition of major development in the Town & Country Planning (Development Management Procedure) (England) Order 2015 or to proposals that raise issues of national significance.

4.32. Major development is development of more than local significance (i.e. it would exceed the local scale of development needed to address the socio-economic needs of the New Forest’s 35,000 residents) and which would have a long-term impact on the landscape, wildlife or cultural heritage of the National Park because of its scale and form. This can include major residential and commercial development (including tourism), significant infrastructure projects and power generation, including renewable energy.

4.33. All forms of major development can have a significant impact on the special qualities of the New Forest and the reasons why the National Park was designated – relating to its outstanding natural beauty; the variety of landscapes and habitats, and the opportunities provided for the public to enjoy the Forest.

Solent Freeport

4.34. The Solent Freeport was designated by Government in December 2022 and is one of 12 Freeports across the UK, and the only Freeport that includes land within a National Park in England. Freeports are new hubs for global trade, investment, and innovation within the UK that create a favourable environment and exciting opportunities for businesses to grow. Investment within a UK Freeport, enables access to a wide range of customs and tax benefits, as well as support from government around planning, infrastructure and innovation.

4.35. The Solent Freeport stretches across several sites (both tax and custom sites), located in and around Portsmouth and Southampton, making it one of the UK’s most important gateways to European and global markets, with a population exceeding 1.25 million and over 42,000 businesses operating in the area.

4.36. Land at Fawley Waterside, is one of seven ‘tax sites’, covers 70 acres of land. The site has a dedicated dock and there is to a focus on marine innovation, port-centric manufacturing and energy sectors. The site lies partially within the National Park, with the commercial opportunity spread over 360,000 square metres on the site of the former Fawley Power station and adjacent land.

Source: Map of Solent Freeport, UK Government Publishing Service.

4.37. The Economic Needs Assessment commissioned to inform the Local Plan Review has identified a need for an extra 13,500 square metres of employment land over the plan period, primarily for industrial/mixed employment purposes. Given, the limited opportunities across the National Park to meet this quantum of growth through existing routes of redevelopment and extension/intensification on existing sites, the Authority allocates the land north of Fawley Waterside, which falls within the Southampton Water Freeport tax site, for employment purposes. Being a Freeport Tax site, the site will also benefit from a range of tax incentives such as enhanced capital allowances and relief from employer National Insurance contributions for new employees and relief on Stamp Duty Land Tax. The previously agreed five-year tax benefits window was extended in the summer of 2024 to 10 years, until September 2031, delivering a boost for businesses investing and hiring new employees in, or connected with, Solent Freeport to stimulate investment and provide greater certainty to investors to maximise the programme’s impact.

4.38. The part of the Solent Freeport site which falls within the National Park equates to about 7 hectares of land. This lies to the north-west of the Fawley Power Station site, with Ashlett Creek Wastewater Treatment plant to the north. It is accessed off a private road, reached via the Northern Access Road. A public footpath (Fawley Footpath 1) runs alongside the site, parallel to the west of the private road. The site is set back from public view and fully screened except to the north-east, from where the site can be viewed from Southampton Water. There is a watercourse running along the eastern boundary of the site. The site is relatively unconstrained, being beyond any of the international nature conservation designations which cover extensive parts of the New Forest, although it lies within the 5.6km buffer zone of the Solent and Southampton Water Special Protection Area (which relates to in-combination recreational impacts). It also lies beyond areas in the vicinity that fall within Flood Zones 2 and 3. The site is, however, located within the Aerodrome Safeguarding Consultation Zone for Southampton Airport, potentially limiting the height of new buildings and structures.

4.39. The site has been in recorded use since the 1940s, initially as a Ministry of Defence fuel storage facility, which was decommissioned and largely dismantled during the 1960s. It has subsequently operated as a waste recycling and transfer facility. More recently, the site has been subject to unauthorised importation and deposition of household waste beyond the scope of the permitted waste recovery and transfer activities. Despite limited historic remediation, waste remains both above and below ground, presenting potential risks to soils and groundwater.

4.40. Remediation is therefore required to remove stockpiled and illegally deposited materials and to address suspected contamination associated with residual underground structures. Remediation is anticipated to be undertaken in two phases, addressing superficial waste first and then below-ground contamination. While remediation costs represent an abnormal development cost, contamination is not considered to be an overriding constraint to redevelopment, subject to appropriate remediation measures.

4.41. The site presents an opportunity to achieve sustainable new employment situated on land previously developed, in pursuance of the National Park Authority’s socio-economic duty and in accordance with other policies in the Local Plan, and the principles to be taken into consideration given the locality of the site within the National Park.

4.42. In addition to the Fawley Waterside site, there are other Solent Freeport tax sites designated within close proximity of the New Forest National Park:

Source: Map of Solent Freeport, UK Government Publishing Service

4.43. In summary, the Solent Freeport sites close to the National Park comprise:

• ExxonMobil – ExxonMobil Fawley imports crude oil from countries all around the globe to Fawley Marine Terminal, which handles 2,000 shipping movements each year and is the longest privately owned jetty in Europe.
• Solent Gateway – Solent Gateway was formed in 2016, with a 35-year lease until 2051 to develop and operate the 83-hectare Marchwood Port on the River Test opposite the Port of Southampton. Solent Gateway is wholly owned by Associated British Ports.
• Redbridge – operated by Associated British Ports, the port is the UK’s number one hub for deep sea trade, processing 900,000 vehicles per year, with more than 100 hectares of vehicle storage and distribution compounds; the port also welcomes around two million passengers annually to its five cruise terminals. There are 12 hectares of land available offering opportunities to create bespoke facilities of up to 55,472 square metres (600,000 square feet).
• Strategic Land Reserve – 100-acre expansion of the existing Port footprint to be a global hub for EV logistics, port-centric manufacturing and green energy.

4.44. The Strategic Land Reserve site covers land previously referred to as Dibden Bay, which was identified in the Port of Southampton draft Masterplan 2016 - 2035 as the only area of land physically capable of accommodating significant expansion of the port. The site is a designated SSSI and the foreshore is designated as a Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site.

4.45. Developments within these Solent Freeport Tax sites will still be required to comply with planning and environmental regulations. Depending on the scale of proposals these would likely be of a scale that would qualify as a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project (NSIP) under the 2008 Planning Act. Consequently, the Authority would be invited to submit a Local Impact Report setting out the potential impacts of the development on the adjacent National Park but would be a consultee rather than a decision maker. It would be the Planning Inspectorate who would consider and make a recommendation to the Secretary of State on whether a Development Consent Order should be issued. The Secretary of State would make the final decision.

4.46. As these sites are located either within, or in close proximity to, the National Park, it is appropriate for the New Forest National Park Local Plan to set out the range of factors to be considered should the site or part of a site come forward for development. These include:

• Any future proposals within the Freeport Sites that include major development within or affecting the New Forest National Park would need to satisfy the national planning policy tests for major development affecting the National Park set out in the NPPF, the requirements of Policy SP4 Major Development in the National Park and Policy SP5 Solent Freeport.
• Section 62(2) of the Environment Act 1995 was amended by Section 245 of the Levelling Up & Regeneration Act 2023 to require all relevant bodies to seek to further the statutory National Park purposes in performing any functions in relation to, or so as to affect, land in a National Park. This includes development proposals outside the National Park that can impact on it. This is an active duty requiring the relevant body to take appropriate, reasonable and proportionate measures to explore how to further the statutory purposes, to avoid harm and contribute to the conservation and enhancement of the natural beauty, special qualities and key characteristics of the protected landscape.
• Meeting the legal requirements of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2010 in terms of the likely effects on the internationally designated sites in the area, including the Solent and Southampton Water Ramsar Site and SPA; the Solent Maritime SAC; and the New Forest SPA and SAC.

4.47. The New Forest National Park Landscape Character Assessment (2015) identifies features, such as variations in the natural environment, settlement pattern and land uses, that give a locality it’s ‘sense of place’ and pinpoints what makes it different from neighbouring areas. This together with the Authority’s Waterside Green Links Study published in January 2024, has been informative in determining the key characteristics of those parts of the National Park area, which would be affected by any Solent Freeport proposals¹¹. In particular, the Waterside Green Links Study’s aim is to promote anchoring and connecting green spaces within the Waterside area.

4.48. Consequently, the Authority considers that given the strengthened Protected Landscapes Duty, development proposals in the sites designated within the Solent Freeport will be required to demonstrate how they make a positive contribution to – and further – the National Park’s purposes, and should also take into consideration the following requirements to:

1. protect and strengthen the existing hedgerow network, and create new ones where appropriate, to reflect the historic small scale field patterns;
2. keep signage and lighting to a minimum;
3. protect levels of tranquillity and scenic views, using tree cover to filter long-distance views of built development;
4. reinforce the landscape’s wooded character, through management of existing areas to ensure that appropriate species thrive, employ traditional techniques such as coppicing, and replant with native species as necessary;
5. protect, retain and reinforce woodland and other areas of planting with landscape value in strategic locations to minimise views of key infrastructure such as pylons, railways and roads;
6. ensure natural buffers are retained to protect the amenity of the area;
7. maximise opportunities to enhance existing and create new multifunctional green and/or blue infrastructure links, taking into account historic landscape character; and
8. protect long distance views of landmark features, such as Calshot Castle.

Infrastructure and developer contributions

4.49. New development, even on the limited scale planned in the National Park, can place extra demands on existing infrastructure. In such cases where it is not possible to make the necessary provision on site, the Authority will seek financial contributions from the developer in accordance with the framework provided by national planning policy and guidance. Within the context of the development that takes place within the National Park, developer contributions may be required towards highway and transportation works; affordable housing; education and health provision; recreation provision (including public open space enhancements); and nature conservation mitigation measures.

4.50. The existing system of securing developer contributions through Section 106 legal agreements and the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is in the process of being reviewed by the Government. The National Park Authority is a charging authority under the relevant CIL Regulations and although it has not to date implemented CIL, this remains an option for the Authority in the future.

4.51. However, even if CIL (or any future national tariff system to support infrastructure provision) was implemented in the National Park there is likely to remain a role for Section 106 agreements in the future to: (i) secure necessary contributions towards infrastructure that cannot be funded through CIL (for example habitat mitigation measures that are not deemed ‘infrastructure’, such as ranger provision or an education campaign); and (ii) secure site-specific contributions from individual developments for measures that do appear on the general national park-wide infrastructure list.

4.52. Development resulting in net new dwellings or other forms of overnight accommodation will be required to contribute to the Authority's Habitat Mitigation Scheme to mitigate recreational impacts on the New Forest's internationally designated sites. Funding is split between measures delivered during the Plan period and an in-perpetuity fund to ensure long-term protection of sensitive habitats and species. Mitigation within the National Park is delivered through ranger services, visitor communication, and promotion of alternative routes to divert footfall away from vulnerable areas, along with use of the New Forest Code and Public Space Protection Orders (PSPO).

4.53. While the scheme directly relates to residential development and other forms of overnight accommodation within the National Park, extensive research into visitor behaviour has identified a 13.8km zone of influence from which most recreational visits originate, providing the basis for seeking mitigation contributions from new development. As such, the scheme is supported by cross-boundary working with neighbouring authorities and Natural England, with a Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) framework being prepared to secure and pool contributions and deliver coordinated mitigation and monitoring of the protected sites.

⁸ New Forest Housing Needs Assessment, Iceni (August 2025).

⁹ New Forest Economic Needs Assessment, Lichfields (August 2025)

¹⁰ New Forest National Park Authority Gypsy and Traveller Accommodation Assessment, ORS (January 2026)

¹¹ See also New Forest District Council, Landscape Value, Settlement Gaps, and Green & Blue Infrastructure in the New Forest Waterside Report (June 2024)

5. Climate Change

5.1. Climate change is here, impacting communities and biodiversity within the National Park, and those impacts will continue to become more intense and widespread over the coming decades. It poses a long-term challenge for us all to address and has the potential to have a significant impact unless suitable measures are placed. Within the remit of the Local Plan, this means recognising that the natural and built environment plays a significant role in maximising opportunities for carbon capture and ensuring the longevity of our natural resources. As a National Park, with protected landscape status, the Authority has a duty to protect the special qualities of the New Forest, which are considered particularly sensitive to the impacts of climate change. The need to address climate change and maintain the National Park’s outstanding natural beauty should be addressed cohesively and seek to support the longevity of the New Forest as a designated asset with wildlife and heritage not found anywhere else within the UK.

5.2. Currently climate change is associated with warmer and wetter winter seasons, drier and hotter summers, rising sea levels and an increased frequency of extreme weather events. The New Forest National Park is likely to experience increased summer temperatures of around 5°C by the end of this century¹². Summer rainfall is expected to decrease by around 40% with winter rainfall up by around 20%. Sea level rise may be up by around 50cm, but possibly even 75cm in worst-case scenarios. Development will need to mitigate and adapt to these changes, among other impacts, to ensure climate change does not have a detrimental impact on protected sites or the special qualities of the National Park. Building now means building for this future reality.

¹² Past and Future Climate Projections for the New Forest National Park (based on 25km resolution data). The grey numbers shown are the median (central) results for a low (RCP2.5) and high emission scenario (RCP 8.5). Future projections are relative to the average of the period 1981 to 2000.

Source: New Forest Climate Risk & Adaptation Opportunities Assessment 2025

5.3. Mitigation measures can reduce emissions associated with development, reducing the growth of the contribution development has on the root causes of climate change. Adaptive measures can also be put in place to ensure development is resilient to the current and future climate, able to best support people and communities to thrive in challenging conditions. In 2021, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC)¹³ identified eight key areas of climate change risk that needed to be managed as a priority for action for the next two years:

• risks to the viability and diversity of terrestrial and freshwater habitats and species from multiple hazards;
• risks to soil health from increased flooding and drought;
• risks to natural carbon stores and sequestration from multiple hazards;
• risks to crops, livestock and commercial trees from multiple climate hazards;
• risks to supply of food, goods and vital services due to climate-related collapse of supply chains and distribution networks;
• risks to people and the economy from climate-related failure of the power system;
• risks to human health, well-being and productivity from increased exposure to heat in homes and other buildings; and
• multiple risks to the UK from climate change impacts overseas.

¹³ https://www.theccc.org.uk/publication/independent-assessment-of-uk-climate-risk/

5.4. The New Forest National Park Climate Risk & Opportunities Assessment (CROA, published November 2025) details the likely impacts on habitats, species, heritage and landscape, identifying actions across the themes of Lead, Learn, Enable, Protect, Manage and Restore can help to make the special qualities of the New Forest National Park more resilient to climate change.

5.5. The New Forest has many protected sites which are considered highly vulnerable to climate change risk as set out by the CCC (2021) and CROA (2025). Therefore, it is imperative that the Local Plan recognises and responds to the need to protect local habitats and wildlife and provides a platform to advocate for sustainable development.

Working towards zero emissions

5.6. The Climate Change Act (2008) sets statutory targets to reduce UK greenhouse gas emissions by 80% on 1990 levels by 2050, and to achieve at least a 34% reduction by 2020, and 57% by 2030. The goal is to decarbonise all sectors of the UK economy to meet net zero by 2050.

5.7. The UK-wide target of net zero by 2050 demands decarbonisation across multiple emissions sources. The CCC Carbon Budgets for 2023 to 2037 will seek to target reductions in energy supply, industry, waste and fluorinated gases (F-gases), buildings, surface transport, aviation and shipping, agriculture and land use and engineered removals (see Figure below).

Source: Climate Change Committee 2024¹⁴

5.8. Where feasible, it is vital that the planning system can advocate for development that can drive these changes, from implementing renewable energy sources and energy efficient buildings to waste management and sustainable transport infrastructure.

5.9. The Future Homes Standard (FHS), released in Spring 2026, sets out uplifts in building efficiency, with the ambition of ensuring new development is net zero ready. The uplift presents a positive step forward for domestic development across England and will bring the development sector closer towards meeting the 2050 net zero target. The Future Building Standard (FBS) presents the net zero pathway for non-domestic development. The FHS, which will come into force from March 2027, seeks to reduce carbon emissions from new homes by 75% - 80%. Building Regulations remain the primary mechanism in which these changes are enforced and therefore remain outside the scope of the planning system. However, it is worth recognising that planning plays an important role in establishing sustainable and healthy development across the natural and built environment.

Working collaboratively to address climate change

5.10. Partnership working is vitally important to ensuring that both small scale and larger strategic matters can be interweaved with the climate agenda and addressed efficiently. The Authority is involved in several partnerships which enable the impacts associated with climate change to be addressed. These include, but are not limited to, New Forest National Park Partnership Plan 2022-2027, Partnership for South Hampshire (PfSH), Solent Mitigation Partnership (SMP), the New Forest Catchment Partnership, and the wider National Parks UK Partnership.

5.11. National Parks UK has committed all national parks to the Race to Zero initiative which seeks “to drive action to halve carbon emissions by 2030 and become significant net carbon sinks by 2050”¹⁵. This pathway seeks to restore, remediate and create significant areas for nature interest, and increase the ability of the land identified to capture and sequester carbon. The built environment is also addressed by a pathway which seeks to improve the energy efficiency of buildings and reduce energy-related emissions from buildings, transport and industrial processes to near zero by 2050.

5.12. In 2019 the New Forest National Park Authority declared a climate and nature emergency with a commitment to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2030¹⁶. Many partner organisations have made similar declarations, and all recognise that progress can only be made through collaborative working and a collective ambition to achieve net zero by protecting, restoring, and enhancing nature. Through partnership working and the adoption of documents, such as the Local Plan, the Authority aims to minimise vulnerability and maximise the resilience of the National Park (and its special qualities) to the impacts of climate change.

5.13. The policies set out within this chapter have been reviewed and strengthened in response to the challenges associated with climate change. These range from efficient water management and sustainable construction to renewable energy. Climate change is considered a priority for the Authority to address across all workstreams and will remain a consideration within the planning process throughout this Local Plan and through national guidance.

Managing water resources and ensuring water efficient development

5.14. The Environment Agency monitor the water quality of a portion of the river network in the National Park, based on both ecological and chemical status. Of the 482 km of rivers, roughly 280 km are covered by Water Framework Directive monitoring stations. Around a quarter of the rivers in the New Forest that are monitored are recorded as achieving ‘good’ ecological status, but the majority are ‘moderate’, while a significant proportion are ‘poor’. There has been a decline in the length of rivers with ‘poor’ and ‘good’ ecological status and a rise in those in ‘moderate’ condition. The Environment Agency objective is to achieve high or good ecological status for 70% of the monitored rivers in the New Forest by 2027.

5.15. The New Forest Catchment Partnership was established in 2012. The Authority will continue to co-host its work and seek to deliver collaborative projects that are in accordance with the partnerships aims. The Partnership complements the work of the Environment Agency by undertaking more widespread monitoring of waterbodies in the National Park, including standing water bodies which are often of national and international importance. This work highlights the need to address diffuse pollution which is preventing waterbodies across the National Park reaching their potential and delivering ecosystem services such as biodiversity quality. The Partnership’s Water Environment Improvement Plan identifies priorities for strategic action and localised project delivery.

5.16. The issues and pressures affecting the long-term quality of the region’s water resources include abstraction, pesticides, phosphates, nitrates, physical modification and transport pollution. Opportunities will be sought to support diffuse pollution reductions and appropriate proposals to mitigate impacts and provide clean water environments (such as new pond complexes) will be supported. The Authority will also support the Environment Agency, Natural England, water companies and surrounding authorities in the development of strategic solutions to reducing nutrient inputs from wastewater discharges to the Solent and River Avon internationally designated nature conservation sites. Developments that could affect these sites will be considered under Policy SP11.

5.17. The Environment Agency have also defined Source Protection Zones (SPZs)¹⁷ for groundwater sources used for public drinking water supply. These zones show the risk of contamination from any activities that might cause pollution in the area, and the closer the activity to the source, the greater the risk of pollution. Where a site lies within a groundwater SPZ, developers will need to consult with the Environment Agency to ensure that the protection of the public water supply source is maintained, and to inform the Statutory Water Service Provider of the outcome of this consultation.

Implementing Sustainable Drainage Systems

5.18. National planning policy and design guidance emphasises that sustainable drainage systems (SuDS) should be provided in new developments wherever appropriate. This particularly applies to new development in areas at risk of flooding and to planning applications for major development – developments of 10 dwellings or more, or equivalent non-residential or mixed development – unless it is demonstrated to be inappropriate or unnecessary.

5.19. SuDS are designed to mimic the natural drainage of surface water, typically managing rainfall close to where it falls. Surface water flows are then slowed down and discharged at a controlled rate before entering a watercourse. SuDS can be used in combination with Nature-Based Solutions (NbS) to enhance the longevity and effectiveness of SuDS within a scheme. For example, this might integrate more vegetative/permeable surfaces within a scheme in combination with ponds, swales, and rain gardens to effectively tackle local surface water flooding. In all cases the Authority advises that the drainage hierarchy set out within the NPPG is followed to ensure all options for surface water discharge have been considered¹⁸.

5.20. Development can increase flood risk in scenarios where drainage systems are inefficient or where there are large areas of hardstanding proposed. These scenarios can be exacerbated by the impacts of climate change, such as severe weather (e.g., sustained rainfall and drier summers which scorch the ground and make it harder for the natural environment to absorb excess water). Development which does not implement SuDs or appropriate means of drainage will not be supported by the Authority.

5.21. In 2013, the Environment Agency looked at current and future water usage against climate change scenarios to provide an indicative stress situation for each water company. These findings were reviewed in 2021¹⁹ and maintain the previous position that the Southern Water area is subject to both current and future water stress. The South Hampshire portion of Southern Water’s operating area takes approximately two-thirds of its water from the Rivers Test and Itchen. Southern Water’s Water Resources Management Plan 2025-2075 sets out a number of initiatives to reduce water usage and improve efficiency in supply.

5.22. In addition to measures being put in place by water companies, new development should manage demand for water and make efficient use of this resource. All new homes currently must meet the Building Regulations standard of a maximum of 125 litres per person per day. Authorities also have the option to set a limit of 110 litres per person per day. The 110 litres standard was adopted within the previous Local Plan, given that part of the National Park’s water supply is classed as being ‘water stressed’. The Water Stressed Areas (2021) classification has since identified that the whole area of the National Park is determined to be an area of ‘serious water stress’.

5.23. In reflection of this and Southern Water’s Target 100 ambition “to reduce average per capita consumption to 100 litres per person per day by 2040”, the Authority has revised the requirement to further safeguard water resources from 110 litres to 100 litres per person per day. This is set out below within Policy SP7. Guidance on the implementation of this standard is available within the Government’s Approved Document G (Sanitation, hot water safety and water efficiency) and Southern Water’s Water Resources Management Plan (2024 – onwards)²⁰.

Flood risk

5.24. The Authority has no direct responsibility for flood protection or coastal defence. However, as the planning authority for the coastline in the National Park, it is important that future strategic planning and development management decisions are consistent with the North Solent Shoreline Management Plan (2010).

5.25. Shoreline Management Plans are non-statutory plans that evaluate the known risks to people, property and the built, historic and natural environment from the sea and coastal processes. They feature policies for each section of coast, based on the findings. The coastline of the National Park is covered by the North Solent Shoreline Management Plan, and it sets out detailed policies for coastal management over the next 100 years.

5.26. Within the National Park the Shoreline Management Plan²² proposes to ‘Hold the Line’ (i.e. maintain or upgrade the level of protection provided by existing coastal defences) on the coast between Hurst Spit and Elmer’s Court outside Lymington, between Sowley and Saltershill, and around Calshot, but proposes ‘No Active Intervention’ (i.e. a decision not to invest in providing or maintaining any defences) elsewhere. It also makes allowance for landowners to maintain their own defences where these already exist, even though landowners are advised to contact the Authority before undertaking any works. Where necessary, the Authority will consult New Forest District Council, or subsequent authority, as the Coastal Authority on planning applications. The Authority will also continue to be a member of the Solent Forum, which considers and provides advice on strategic issues for authorities involved in planning and management of the coast within the Solent area.

5.27. Flood zone maps have been developed by the Environment Agency, and their use is outlined in National Planning Practice Guidance (NPPG)²³. Zone 1 is where there is little or no risk of flooding, in Zone 2 there is a low to medium risk, and in Zone 3 there is a high risk. These zones relate to fluvial and coastal flooding and do not account for the risk imposed by surface water or groundwater flooding, meaning that a site can be located in Flood Zone 1 with little to no risk of fluvial and/or coastal flooding, but be at a very high risk of surface water or groundwater flooding. The Environment Agency publishes maps of flood risk on its website which show the locations of these zones and should be referred to as the most up to date source of information on flood risk. These maps are continually being updated and will be used in the implementation of Policy SP8. The National Park is at most risk of coastal flooding, but there is also significant flooding from the Lymington River in Brockenhurst, and to a lesser degree the Beaulieu River. The Cadnam area is also affected by surface water flooding and part of the evidence base for the Local Plan includes an updated Level 1 Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (SFRA) commissioned jointly by local planning authorities in South Hampshire in 2024.

5.28. The NPPG sets out the ‘sequential test’ that will be used to assess all planning applications (except where NPPF paragraph 175 applies²⁴) to direct development away from Flood Zones 2 and 3 as the areas at highest risk of flooding²⁵. This will also need to take account of the broader considerations set out in the Strategic Flood Risk Assessment (2024) and consider all localised flood risk areas and all surface water flood risks. Only if there are no reasonably available suitable alternative sites can development in areas of higher risk (Flood Zones 2 and 3) be considered by applying the ‘exception test’ as outlined in the NPPG.

5.29. While the National Park Authority is not the Lead Local Flood Authority for the New Forest, it maintains some influence over wider strategic flood risk matters and will continue to engage with local steering groups and its partners to ensure flood risk is effectively managed across the National Park.

Sustainable construction

5.30. The planning system plays a vital role in delivering development that is sustainable both in longevity and its ability to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. There are many ways buildings can be designed, built and/or retrofitted to improve building performance. The carbon impact of each development should be considered under this policy, and applicants are encouraged to consider reusing existing buildings/structures to minimise their carbon footprint. This is particularly important for the historic environment and historic buildings which come in a variety of conditions and have protected features which, in most instances, should be retained. Historic England advises that a ‘whole building approach’ is used when adapting historic buildings for energy and carbon efficiency²⁶.

5.31. As a standard, building regulations provide national requirements that all buildings must adhere to. However, where viable, developers may seek to achieve a higher standard of building performance i.e., LETI, Passivhaus. The Authority advocates for proposals where building performance can be improved and which respond appropriately according to the context of each site. This is especially important considering the protected landscape status of the National Park which means that some development may be considered inappropriate due to landscape impacts from scale, design, layout, positioning or energy sources.

5.32. Addressing climate change through the Local Plan provides an opportunity to protect the special qualities of the National Park and advocate for development that can appropriately reflect the needs and statutory purposes of the Park.

5.33. The Future Homes Standard (FHS) is a legislative requirement for all new homes to achieve and will seek to lower carbon emissions by 75-80% compared to homes delivered under current building regulations. This will be measured using the new Fabric Energy Efficiency Standard (FEES) as part of national Building Regulations and is therefore separate from the planning system. FEES will come into force in March 2027, followed by a 12-month transition period, with the intention that all new build housing will be zero carbon ready. Extensions and thermal upgrades to existing homes will also become subject to improved building standards.

5.34. Under the FHS, and in exceptional circumstances where a developer cannot secure an 80% reduction in carbon emissions, it will be possible to explore carbon offsetting as an option. This is most likely to take the form of a financial contribution to local carbon sequestration activities, such as habitat restoration or tree planting.

5.35. The natural and built environment should work in harmony across all development to ensure climate change can be addressed from all angles. Through mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements all qualifying development must deliver improvements to biodiversity. This is to ensure development does not leave a site in a worse condition (for nature) than before. In some cases, achieving 10% on-site will not be feasible and there is scope for offsetting this requirement either financially or through an alternate site. Please refer to the ‘Natural Environment’ chapter for more information on BNG and other forms of habitat mitigation.

5.36. There is some uncertainty over how individual species and habitats in the New Forest will respond to climate change, but it is likely that some habitats will change or be lost, particularly coastal habitats, together with the appearance of new species. Maintaining a network of green infrastructure can help to increase the robustness of habitats by reducing their fragmentation through creating and restoring habitat and wildlife networks. The introduction of BNG and Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) will enable the planning system to improve nature’s resilience to climate change.

5.37. In terms of the built environment, development should maximise health and well-being within the principles of sustainable construction and seek to evidence best practice as follows:

• Undertake a fabric-first approach – to improve insultation, ventilation and comfort with the goal of improving respiratory health and reducing fuel poverty.
• Maximise design and orientation opportunities – passive solar gain, natural light can all contribute towards improving mental health, well-being and lower energy bills if designed appropriately.
• Enhance resilient landscaping – natural shade, biodiversity, and flood mitigation provide a safe environment to live in.
• Seek to reduce household costs – sustainable construction has the potential to reduce the cost of running a home where measures are efficient.

5.38. Other measures to reduce the National Park’s impact upon – and vulnerability to – climate change include sustainable transport, renewable energy and local food production. These topics are covered in this chapter and other policies within the Local Plan.

Renewable energy

5.39. The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) supports the delivery of renewable, low carbon energy and associated infrastructure and requires local planning authorities to have a positive strategy to promote energy from these sources. The NPPF places the responsibility on all communities to contribute to energy generation from renewable or low carbon sources. In response to this requirement, the Authority has taken a positive approach to supporting appropriate renewable energy proposals in the National Park. This includes the allocation of grant funding to support local community renewable energy projects; and the support offered through the planning system to proposals that respect their location within a nationally protected landscape.

5.40. National policy states that planning authorities should design their policies to maximise renewable and low carbon energy development while ensuring that adverse impacts are addressed satisfactorily, including cumulative landscape and visual impacts. In addition, the NPPF clarifies that great weight should be given to conserving landscape and scenic beauty in national parks. Consequently, the potential for renewable energy generation within the National Park will need to be balanced against the potential adverse visual and amenity impacts on the landscape, including views into and out of the Park.

5.41. To avoid compromising the landscape character and beauty of the National Park, the policy emphasis is on supporting appropriate, small-scale renewable energy developments that provide energy for an individual household or business use, or for a small local community facility within the Park. Proposals will be supported in appropriate areas of the National Park outside areas designated as nature conservation sites (including international nature conservation designations, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and National Nature Reserves), where they do not cause damage to the natural beauty, wildlife, cultural heritage, tranquillity and other special qualities of the National Park, in accordance with the statutory purposes and national policy.

5.42. The New Forest is not an appropriate location for onshore wind development due to insufficient wind speed and the impact such development would have on the landscape and statutory National Park purposes. Similarly, larger renewable energy developments to meet a wider-than-local need are not appropriate within the National Park.

5.43. All forms of small-scale energy production will be supported where these meet the criteria set out in Policy SP10. Evidence suggests that the most appropriate forms of renewable energy production in the New Forest are likely to be solar and biomass.

5.44. Some small-scale renewable energy development does not require planning permission, such as the use of solar panels in a domestic setting. However, domestic-scale wind turbines do require planning permission, and the above policy will apply. It is recommended that applicants seek advice on their proposals from the Authority before making an application.

5.45. Proposals should take account of the need to protect the natural historic and built environment, including consideration of potential visual and noise impacts of this type of development. The New Forest National Park Design Guide provides advice on the incorporation of energy efficiencies into the design of buildings. Appropriate proposals that make use of brownfield land in combination with renewable energy sources, such as found at Paultons Park²⁹ will be supported by the Authority.

¹⁴ Over half of the emissions reduction to meet the first three carbon budgets came in the energy supply sectors. Looking forward, the majority of reductions to meet future carbon budgets will need to come from other sectors. Around half of the reduction during the Seventh Carbon Budget period will come from surface transport and buildings.

¹⁵ https://www.nationalparks.uk/2024/07/25/uk-national-parks-become-first-in-world-to-join-race-to-zero/

¹⁶ https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/conservation/climate-and-nature-emergency/climate-and-nature-emergency-and-the-new-forest-national-park/

¹⁷ https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.html

¹⁸ https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-and-coastal-change

¹⁹ ‘Water stressed areas – final classification’, Environment Agency (2021) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/water-stressed-areas-2021-classification

²⁰ https://www.southernwater.co.uk/about-us/our-plans/water-resources-management-plan/

²¹ In principle, all developments should not discharge surface water into the foul sewer, however there may be instances where the pollution risks are unavoidable due to the type of development proposed (e.g., petrol station, car wash). These cases will be reviewed by the Authority on a case-by-case basis.

²² www.northsolentsmp.co.uk/

²³ See NPPG at www.gov.uk/government/collections/planning-practice-guidance and the Environment Agency’s Flood Maps at https://flood-map-for-planning.service.gov.uk/

²⁴ See NPPF for more information at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-planning-policy-framework--2

²⁵ See PPG, paragraph 027 at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/flood-risk-and-coastal-change#the-sequential-approach-to-the-location-of-development

²⁶ https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/adapting-historic-buildings-energy-carbon-efficiency-advice-note-18/

²⁷ Where feasible, and safe to do so, development proposals should look to repurpose and/or reuse building materials on site from existing building structures to reduce carbon impact.

²⁸ For example, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), Program for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)

²⁹ Best practice example of solar car ports installed alongside with visitors’ car park

6. Protecting and Enhancing the Natural Environment

Strategic Objectives for protecting the Forest’s natural environment:

1. Protect and enhance the natural capital and environment of the National Park, including the natural beauty of the landscape and the diverse range of habitats and species.
2. Strengthen the health and well-being, identity and sustainability of rural communities and the pride of local people in their area.

To support Partnership Plan themes: Climate, Nature, People, Partnership

Reflecting the following special qualities:

• The New Forest’s outstanding natural beauty
• An extraordinary diversity of plants and animals
• A healthy environment
• Wonderful opportunities for quiet recreation, learning and discovery
• Tranquillity

6.1. This chapter sets out the strategic objectives for protecting and enhancing the natural capital and environment of the National Park. The natural environment of the New Forest supports a variety of habitats and wildlife and also provides multiple economic and social benefits. Protection of the natural environment can help tackle a wide range of challenges, including supporting biodiversity, improving public health, creating sustainable business, making better use of renewable resources, addressing climate change, and enhancing the setting of heritage assets. In recent years, the importance of biodiversity has been emphasised through the preparation of Local Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS), the mandatory requirement for qualifying developments to deliver Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), and a legal Biodiversity Duty on public bodies to conserve and enhance species diversity. In National Parks, the Protected Landscapes Targets & Outcomes Framework sets ambitious targets for each nationally protected landscape to drive nature recovery, and this is also a key theme within the New Forest National Park Partnership Plan.

6.2. The New Forest is one of the last remaining extensive areas of unspoilt natural beauty with rare habitats and wildlife within lowland Britain. The heart of the Forest, with its mosaic of ancient pasture woodland, lowland heath, lawns and wetlands and river systems, is intimately connected to the smallholdings and farms of the surrounding countryside. The National Park extends from the wooded slopes of Wiltshire in the north, across the central New Forest plateau, to the open coastline of the Solent in the south. The New Forest has been formed through the close relationship between the land and its people over hundreds of years, and much of the area is still managed by traditional agriculture and the historic system of commoning, which remains vital to the long-term management of the Forest.

6.3. The New Forest National Park is a nationally protected landscape, which has the highest status of planning protection in the NPPF in relation to landscape and scenic beauty. National planning policy also confirms that great weight in decision-making must be given to the conservation of wildlife and cultural heritage. The Government’s ‘Protected Landscapes Targets & Outcomes Framework’ sets a series of ambitious targets for National Parks to enhance conservation and management of the landscape to achieve the key outcomes in the Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (2023). The planning system can contribute towards the delivery of these targets for the National Park.

6.4. The New Forest is home to a wide variety of important and often rare wildlife, habitats and species with over half of the National Park protected by international nature conservation designations. The importance of these means that large areas of land in the Park and along its coastline have been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Areas (SPA) and Ramsar sites, and that they benefit from a high level of protection under international nature conservation directives. The NPPF also confirms that the presumption in favour of sustainable development does not apply where development could affect the integrity of these areas.

6.5. The New Forest National Park has a higher proportion of its land covered by international nature conservation designations than any other planning area in England, including all other English national parks. The National Park is also under intense pressure from development, and relevant proposals must ensure they meet the legal requirements of the Habitats Regulations.

6.6. The New Forest’s natural environment is further protected by extensive areas nationally designated as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), reflecting their national nature conservation importance. National policies establish duties to both conserve and enhance these sites and to avoid development having an adverse effect on them. These sites are complemented and supported by a landscape rich in regionally important habitats and species of principle importance for biodiversity, exemplified by the designation of around 400 local wildlife sites in the Wiltshire and Hampshire areas of the National Park.

6.7. The sense of naturalness, peace and quiet, and feeling of remoteness and tranquillity found within the National Park are part of its defined ‘special qualities’, contrasting dramatically with the intensively developed residential and industrial environments close to its boundaries. Indeed, the Parliamentary Order³⁰ which established the New Forest as a National Park recognised that over the years the Forest has come under increasing development pressure from surrounding urban areas and that there has also been pressure from heavy and growing recreational use. It highlighted that these national, regional and local pressures are threatening its future and the very qualities that make it special³¹. In the face of these pressures, it is essential that the reasons for the designation of the New Forest as a nationally important landscape are retained and enhanced, whilst at the same time facilitating the enjoyment of the Park’s special qualities.

6.8. In response to these pressures, the New Forest National Park Recreation Management Strategy sets out a 20-year framework for managing visitor use while safeguarding sensitive habitats and protecting free-roaming livestock. The strategy promotes sustainable and responsible recreation by guiding visitors towards more resilient areas and by raising awareness of the New Forest Code.

6.9. The condition of the National Park’s SSSI area has been gradually improving over the last decade, with 53% of SSSIs in favourable condition. The Government’s Protected Landscapes Targets and Outcomes Framework sets a target of 80% of SSSIs within the New Forest National Park to be in favourable condition by 2042. Trends for a variety of key species, such as the curlew, appear to show declines which reflect a variety of pressures, and the densities of several protected birds, including nightjar, woodlark and Dartford Warbler are relatively low compared with other lowland heathland sites. The Government’s Environmental Improvement Plan (2023) aims to halt the decline in biodiversity through rolling out Nature Recovery Strategies (LNRS) and the delivery of Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) in qualifying new developments, as well as protecting 30% of the nation’s land and sea for nature by