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 changed significantly.
The updated plan provides clearer and more detailed information about what happens when the Authority receives a report about a possible breach of planning control.
It explains:
- What is and is not a planning matter
- How concerns about possible planning breaches are reported and investigated
- How cases are assessed and prioritised
- What people can expect with timescales and outcomes
- When enforcement action may be appropriate
- The powers available to the Authority
- How decisions about enforcement are made.
The New Forest National Park is a nationally protected landscape, renowned for its internationally important habitats, rare wildlife, natural beauty, and rich built and cultural heritage. Planning enforcement plays a key role within the wider planning system in safeguarding these special qualities.
The Authority receives around 300 reports each year concerning potential planning breaches, resulting in around 200 investigations. These cover a wide range of issues, including unauthorised development, changes of use, works to listed buildings and damage to protected trees.
Clear and robust procedures are in place to ensure that any unacceptable harm is addressed proportionately – while balancing the interests of complainants, landowners, businesses, residents and others enjoying the Forest.
The revised Local Enforcement Plan is published on the Authority’s website and will be a ‘living document’ updated as planning legislation, national guidance and local procedures change.
Alongside the updated plan, the Authority has also made its Statutory Enforcement Register available online. This contains details of where formal enforcement action has been taken in the New Forest National Park and the current status or appeal outcome.
Lucie Cooper, Planning Enforcement Manager at the New Forest National Park Authority, said: ‘We know that planning enforcement can be a complex and sometimes confusing area. We want to make it easier for people to understand what happens when a report is received, what we can and can’t do, and how decisions are reached.
‘Our aim is to provide a clear and consistent approach, ensuring that planning enforcement continues to play its part in protecting the special qualities of the New Forest for everyone.’
-Ends-