§ Ms RuddockTo ask the Secretary of State of the Environment what are the current boundaries of the New forest heritage area in which national park planning 513W policies apply; and what proposals there are to change these boundaries.
§ Mr. AtkinsThe New forest heritage area includes all the surrounding countryside which both has strong visual and historic links with the forest and provides off-forest grazing land needed to sustain commoning. The boundary as currently delineated has no statutory designation but was adopted in 1985 by the New Forest district council and is reflected in local development plans.
The new planning regime will apply to the definition of the New forest heritage area as it emerges from the current process of preparing and adopting local plans.