§ Lord Amherst of Hackneyasked Her Majesty's Government:
Whether, in the light of the parliamentary Question tabled for 14th October 1993 but withdrawn against the Minister's assurance that the western boundary of the New Forest Heritage Area was a local issue, it can now be formally confirmed that the Department of the Environment has accepted that the boundary between Ibsley and Fordingbridge is the A338, and that there is no intention of utilising Sections 43 or 44 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 to seek to overturn the decision of the local planning authority in this respect.
§ The Minister of State, Department of the Environment (Viscount Ullswater)New Forest District Council has proposed not to accept the local plan inspector's recommendation to exclude land between Ibsley and Fordingbridge from the New Forest Heritage Area. That is a decision for the council, but it must consider comments it has received before adopting the boundary.
The Department of the Environment has asked the district council to clarify its reasons for rejecting the inspector's recommendation. This follows the announcement in July that national park planning policies would apply within the heritage area. We do appreciate the need to resolve the matter quickly and shall deal urgently with any response made by the council.