19 January 2026
Supplementary planning documents
National policy confirms planning authorities may prepare Supplementary Planning Documents (SPDs) to provide greater detail on their Local Plan policies.
SPDs cannot create new planning policy (which should be subject to independent examination), but they can supplement and provide further detail on adopted policies. Once formally consulted on, SPDs are material considerations in determining planning applications.
Adopted Supplementary Planning Documents
We have adopted a number of SPDs to provide greater detail on particular aspects of the Local Plan for the National Park. Details of the adopted SPDs are available below.
Village Design Statements
Find out more and view Village Design Statements on our dedicated webpage
New Forest National Park Design Guide SPD
The updated New Forest National Park Design Guide SPD was formally adopted on 27 January 2022. It supplements the adopted Local Plan policies and provides design guidance for the whole of the National Park area. Further details can be found in the documents at the foot of this page.
New Forest National Park Revised Habitat Mitigation Scheme SPD – adopted July 2020
We adopted the New Forest National Park Revised Habitat Mitigation Scheme SPD on Thursday 9th July 2020, replacing the habitat mitigation scheme contained within Chapter 6 and Annex 5 of the Development Standards SPD (2012). It provides guidance on the implementation of Local Plan Policy SP5: Nature conservation sites of international importance and sets out a package of mitigation measures to address the recreational impacts of new development in the National Park on the integrity of the New Forest’s internationally designated sites.