The New Forest National Park release their updated draft Local Plan. Following the previous stages of consultation which commenced in Summer 2015, the New Forest National Park Authority has published its proposed Submission draft Local Plan 2016 – 2036 for a final 6-week period of public consultation. This runs from Wednesday 17 January to 5pm on Wednesday 28 February 2018 and represents the Regulation 19 stage in the Government’s planning regulations.

The Submission draft Local Plan sets out the proposed planning policies that will guide development in the National Park in the future. It will, once adopted, play a key role in taking forward the two statutory National Park purposes and related socio-economic duty. The Submission draft Local Plan aims to ensure that the New Forest continues to receive the highest level of landscape protection while fostering the economic and social well-being of the 35,000 residents who live within the National Park.

Once the final 6-week consultation on the proposed Submission draft Local Plan has been completed, the intention of the NFNPA is to submit the Local Plan, representations and supporting evidence base studies to the Secretary of State for independent examination in Spring 2018.