Planning guidance
Conservation areas
There are 20 conservation areas in the New Forest National Park, of which three straddle the boundary between the Park and New Forest District Council’s area.
They identify the important historic settlements across the National Park that have survived intact.
The conservation areas cover:
- Small village centres (Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst)
- Waterside locations (Bucklers Hard, Ashlett Creek, Keyhaven)
- Estate villages (Beaulieu, Exbury)
- Examples of notable early use of technology (Sway Tower)
- Typical areas of old enclosed land surrounded by the open forest (Fritham, Burley, Bank)
- Other small settlements (Swan Green, Buckland, The Weirs, Breamore)
- The interaction of the openForest and small-scale houses typical of the New Forest (Western Escarpment, Forest South East, North East, Forest Central North and South).
Planning controls over what householders can do on their properties in a conservation area are the same inside and outside a national park. Planning proposals that in our opinion would affect the character or appearance of the conservation area must be advertised and opportunity must be given for people to comment. This might include proposals outside the conservation area that could affect its setting.
As well as normal planning requirements, further controls apply in conservation areas, including control over building demolition. Trees in a conservation area have the same protection as those covered by Tree Preservation Orders.
Each conservation area has a Conservation Area Character Appraisal document, which can be found here: List of conservation areas – New Forest National Park or via the image below.
These documents lay out the history of each conservation area. They also list the materials, textures, colours, and detailing that are typical of the local architecture, which contributes to the special character of the conservation area.
Any new development or works to an existing property within a conservation area should try to incorporate and embrace the materials and design elements listed within the appraisal document.
