News and Consultations.

A residents’ survey: https://nfnpasurvey2025.commonplace.is/  We’re asking: What makes the New Forest special to you? What issues matter most for its future?

Feedback will help guide our priorities, services, projects and delivery in the years ahead. Closes 30 November 2025.

Draft Local Plan consultation: https://nfnpalocalplan.commonplace.is/  We'll be using input for the next phase of the New Forest Local Plan. Closes 19 December 2025.

Local Government Re-organisation The government has decided that all councils in Hampshire will be replaced with fewer local authorities from April 2028, each providing all the local government services currently delivered in our area by either New Forest District Council or Hampshire County Council.

We have now entered the next stage in the process, which is the government’s own statutory consultation. You may have already taken part in the joint consultation that NFDC ran across the summer but it is the government that makes the final decision.

The government has launched this consultation – Hampshire and the Isle of Wight LGR consultation

The consultation will run until 11 January 2026 and asks for opinions specifically relating to the criteria on which it will make its final decision. These look at whether proposed new councils:

• are based on sensible geographies and economic areas

• will be able to deliver economic, social, and public service benefits

• are the right size to be efficient, improve capacity and withstand financial shocks

• will deliver high quality, sustainable public services

• are based on proposals that are informed by local views and will meet local needs

• will support devolution arrangements

• can enable stronger community engagement and empowerment

‘NFDC free parking days in lead up to Christmas events - Small Business Saturday’ is an annual national campaign to encourage consumers to shop local all year round and support small businesses in their communities.   The free parking days support the ‘Prosperity’ priority in the Council’s Corporate Plan 2024 to 2028 which involves “supporting our high-quality business base and economic centres to thrive and grow”.   

Dates agreed with town and parishes councils include:  

• Beaulieu – 20 December 2025 

• Brockenhurst – 05 December 2025  

• Burley – 13 December 2025  

• Fordingbridge - 28 November 2025  

• Hythe – 29 November 2025  

• Fawley – 24 December 2025  

• Lymington – 28 November 2025 

• Lyndhurst – 13 December 2025 

• Milford on Sea – 05 December 2025 

• New Milton – 29 November 2025   

• Ringwood – 30 November 2025 

• Totton – 13 December 2025