Have your say on the draft New Forest National Park Local Plan
Local residents, landowners, stakeholders and businesses are being invited to take part in a public consultation on the revised draft Local Plan.
The Local Plan sets out the draft local planning policies that will guide future development across the National Park, helping to protect its internationally important landscape, wildlife and heritage while supporting the needs of local communities and businesses.
The six-week consultation, running from Monday 17 August to Wednesday 30 September 2026, is the final opportunity for people to comment on the draft Local Plan before it’s submitted to the Government for independent examination.
A series of free public drop-in events will be held across the National Park during the consultation period. Planning officers will be on hand to explain the draft Plan, answer questions and talk through the changes made since the previous consultation in late 2025.
Each event will run from 2pm to 7pm. Between 2pm and 5pm, visitors can browse information displays and speak informally with officers. From 5.30pm, there’ll be a short presentation followed by a managed Q&A session.
The events will be held at:
- Wednesday 2 September – Landford Village Hall, Lyndhurst Road, Landford
- Friday 4 September – Bartley Village Hall, Bourne Road, Woodlands
- Monday 7 September – The Copythorne & District Royal British Legion Hall, Southampton Road, Cadnam
- Tuesday 8 September – Jubilee Field Pavilion, Station Road, Sway
- Friday 11 September – Lyndhurst Community Centre, Main Car Park, Lyndhurst
- Wednesday 16 September – Redlynch Village Hall, Vicarage Road, Redlynch
Anyone wanting to submit a question in advance can email policy@newforestnpa.gov.uk, stating which event they plan to attend.
For those who can’t attend in person, an online information session will take place on Thursday 10 September, from 4pm to 5.30pm. Details and a joining link will be available on the NPA website: www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/LocalPlanReview
The revised draft Local Plan and supporting documents can be viewed online through the consultation platform at https://nfnpaLocalPlan.commonplace.is where you can also submit comments and feedback from 17 August.
Printed copies will be available to view at the drop-in events and at the National Park Authority offices in Avenue Road, Lymington.
Following the consultation, the National Park Authority will submit the draft Local Plan, supporting evidence and all consultation responses to the Government by the end of December 2026. An independent Planning Inspector will then examine the Plan during 2027 before deciding whether it can be adopted.
During 2025 there were two phases of public consultation on the Local Plan Review, including consultation on an initial draft of the Local Plan which closed in December 2025. Since then, the National Park Authority has been reviewing the comments received and updating the draft Plan in response to people’s feedback and further evidence.
David Illsley, Interim Head of Planning and Place at the New Forest National Park Authority said: ‘This consultation is an important step in preparing the local planning policies for the New Forest National Park which will guide planning decisions for years to come. Everyone with an interest in the National Park is encouraged to review the draft Plan and give us their final comments before we submit the draft Plan to the Government for independent examination.’