Overview
Natural England is advising the Council that, in light of significant evidence about recreational pressure on the New Forest designated sites, it should not approve any additional residential development within 13.8km of the New Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Special Protection Area (SPA) and Ramsar site without first securing appropriate mitigation.
Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM)
The New Forest Strategic Access Management & Monitoring (SAMM) Strategy 2023 report by Footprint Ecology identifies a range of potential SAMM projects and sets out a suitable tariff of £400 per dwelling.
The draft New Forest SAMM Strategy 2025, expected to be adopted in autumn 2025, also identifies other types of development that may have recreational impacts, including:
- Houses in Multiple Occupation (sui generis)
- residential institutions (Use Class C2) where residents are not severely restricted by illness or mobility
- student accommodation
- sites for gypsy, travellers and travelling showpeople
- tourist accommodation, including self-catering, caravan and touring holiday accommodation.
Each of these will be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In general, each unit may be considered a single dwelling, but the SAMM contribution may be adjusted depending on occupancy rates or development type.
Securing mitigation
The monies to fund mitigation will be secured through a planning obligation, Section 106 agreement or Section 106 unilateral undertaking for all qualifying development once the draft SAMM Strategy has been approved.
The 13.8km zone of influence
The 13.8km zone was defined in the Footprint Ecology report, Discussion and analysis relating to the New Forest SAC/SPA/Ramsar and a zone of influence for recreation.
Much of this zone overlaps with the 5km Dorset Heaths mitigation zone. According to further research by Footprint Ecology, Visitor use of the New Forest by residents of Dorset and implications for the Dorset Local Plan, the infrastructure projects provided for Dorset Heaths mitigation will also be sufficient for the New Forest Heaths. Therefore, only a SAMM payment will be required for developments in the overlap area.
Details of the research into visitors and recreational impact in the New Forest is available.