Keep your distance from the animals and don't feed or pet them - you may be fined.

Brown ponies and foals grazing beside a gravel road near a brick house in the New Forest, Hampshire

Author: Maria Court

It's 00:15 Moderate rain, 13°C

New Forest National Park Authority provides revised guidance on planning enforcement

By Maria Court

The New Forest National Park Authority has updated its Local Enforcement Plan, providing a more comprehensive and accessible guide to how planning enforcement is carried out in the National Park. The Authority’s previous Local Enforcement Plan was adopted in 2013. Since then, planning laws, national guidance, working practices and the way people access information have … Continued

Local Plan drop-in sessions

By Maria Court

We’re inviting residents, businesses and community groups to meet our Planning team and find out more about the next stage of the Local Plan review. The Regulation 19 Submission draft Local Plan consultation is open until 30 September 2026 Join us at the following drop-in sessions: ONLINE (Microsoft Teams) Thursday 10 September, 4pm – 5.30pm. Joining … Continued

Planning Committee meeting 18 August 10am

By Maria Court

Tomorrow’s Planning Committee meeting (Tues 18 August) will now be held at the Council Chamber, Lymington Town Hall, at the slightly later time of 10am. The meeting will also be live streamed. Agenda and joining instructions here: https://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/…/planning-committee…/ Photo by Peter LeCointe

Forestry Commission Chair visits New Forest National Park

By Maria Court

Forestry Commission Chair Baroness Young of Old Scone visited the New Forest National Park to hear about the challenges and opportunities facing the protected landscape. At the invitation of the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) members, Baroness Young joined colleagues from the NPA and Forestry England at Blackwater near Lyndhurst. She visited the giant sequoia trees along the Tall Trees Trail which … Continued

Community comes together to save New Forest’s Queen Oak

By Maria Court

Joint news release from The Tree Council and New Forest National Park Authority   The future of the ancient Queen Oak tree is looking brighter after intervention by The Tree Council, New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) and community to install simple measures that should have a huge impact on its ongoing health and resilience. … Continued

New Milton Neighbourhood Plan – consultation update

By Maria Court

On Tuesday 18 November 2025 the New Forest National Park Authority approved the New Milton Neighbourhood Plan for consultation over eight weeks. This initial Regulation 16 consultation ran from Friday 28 November 2025 to Friday 23 January 2026. Since that time, neighbourhood plans are required to meet new Basic Conditions introduced by the Government through sections 98 and 99 … Continued

Fawley Neighbourhood Plan – consultation update

By Maria Court

On Tuesday 17 March 2026 the New Forest National Park Authority approved the Fawley Neighbourhood Plan for consultation over six weeks. This is a new Neighbourhood Plan for Fawley, affecting both the National Park Authority and New Forest District Council, and will introduce a new set of planning policies that will inform the development of … Continued

Planning Committee Meeting 21 April 2026

By Maria Court

The April 2026 Planning Committee meeting will be held on Tuesday 21 April at 09:30 See the agenda, papers and link to the live streamed meeting here: Planning Committee 21/04/26 – New Forest National Park   The previous Planning Committee meeting was held on Tuesday 17 March View the recording of the live streamed meeting, … Continued