New Forest National Park Authority Meeting NFNPA 408/12 28 June 2012 Chief Executive’s Report NFNPA 408/12 NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY AUTHORITY MEETING – 28 JUNE 2012 CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S REPORT Report by: Alison Barnes, Chief Executive Summary: This report covers the period since the Authority meeting on 28 March 2012. The report has been formatted to accord with the ‘Protect, Enjoy, Prosper and Aiming for Excellence’ themes from the 2011-15 Business Plan, summarised below: Protect Enjoy Prosper Our priorities: Our priorities: Our priorities: . Enhancing the Forest’s . Enabling high quality . Supporting a distinctive landscapes and experiences of the local economy habitats National Park . Improving affordable . Achieving excellence in . Improving understanding housing provision development and of the special qualities of planning the National Park . Promoting sustainable transport . Conserving strong local . Agreeing positive distinctiveness and the recreation management . Encouraging character of the historic sustainable living environment . Leading on education about the New Forest . Encouraging environmentally sustainable land management Aiming for Excellence In all we do: . seeking to provide the highest quality of service . working closely with others in championing the Forest . achieving an efficient and high performing organisation Recommendation: To note the report Contact: Alison Barnes Tel: 01590 646633, Email: [email protected] Equality & Diversity Implications: There are no equality or diversity implications arising directly from this report. New Forest National Park Authority Meeting NFNPA 408/12 28 June 2012 Chief Executive’s Report NFNPA 408/12 NEW FOREST NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY AUTHORITY MEETING – 28 JUNE 2012 CHIEF EXECUTIVE'S REPORT Report by: Alison Barnes, Chief Executive INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW At the end of the first quarter of the year, teams are forging ahead with delivery our Protect, Enjoy, Prosper and Aiming for Excellence programmes. The New Forest landscape and habitats are the focus of two new innovative projects one looking at the 1,000 ponds of the New Forest, another focussing on improving the water catchment areas of the National Park. A new wildlife partnership is also taking shape and thinking about how we work together across the landscape – partners are keen to find ways of connecting habitats for the benefit of wildlife and reinforcing the all important links between nature, our communities and economy. The New Forest HLS Board held its AGM, with reports on progress with the scheme and showing of some inspiring films on the achievements secured for the open Forest, these films will be made available on the Authority’s website once they have been converted to a web format. The last few months has seen some important plans come to fruition; we have supported Parishes in identifying features that are locally distinctive and measures to keep them special. I am pleased that both the Village Design Statement for Hyde and that the action plan for the Western Escarpment Conservation Area is coming to you for adoption today, both promise to help secure what is special about these areas for the future. In addition, the draft Supplementary Planning Document on development standards is currently out for consultation, aiming to provide further guidance to compliment the Core Strategy on issues such as delivering affordable housing and mitigating the impacts of development on protected habitats within the New Forest. There has been a high level of liaison with a range of partners through consultations, including the Christchurch and East Dorset Core Strategy and the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan and also through events aiming to build strong relationships for delivery. A real highlight was a joint event with the Country Land and Business Association (CLA), hosted by the Bisterne Estate, where National Park officers and Members has the opportunity to meet with a good number of representatives from local private estates, exchanging ideas for joint working into the future. Working together with NFDC, we also had an excellent business breakfast with the New Forest Business Partnership, with opportunity for networking and discussion on how to champion the New Forest together across Hampshire and beyond. The visitor and events season is in full swing with our flagship wildlife event or ‘Bioblitz’ attracting 350 attendees. The region’s top species experts were on hand to identify finds and bring the New Forest’s landscape to life for young and old, so far recording over 450 species. An impressive 6,400 students have had contact with our two education officers since the last report, learning about the Forest’s history and how they can play a part in caring for the landscape. Preparations for the Olympics were given a boost by our work with NFDC to exhibit some inspiring photos depicting New Forest Heroes training in the Forest; we hope that as the torch passes through in the next few weeks more will be inspired by the amazing local landscape and take the opportunity to enjoy the Forest, to learn about what makes it special and how to keep it that way. DELIVERY OF NATIONAL PARK PURPOSES AND FUNCTIONS The report has been formatted to accord with the ‘Protect, Enjoy, Prosper’ objectives from the new 2 New Forest National Park Authority Meeting NFNPA 408/12 28 June 2012 Chief Executive’s Report Business Plan, a summary of which is set out on the previous page. In addition, a fourth section, ‘Aiming for Excellence’, summarises those activities that support and contribute overall to all our work, and the final section lists Members’ activities and events. 1 Protect 1.1 Enhancing the Forest’s landscapes and habitats Natural Environment White Paper . As part of the ‘Growing the Forest’ wildlife partnership, the Authority has continued to work on funding bids for projects (Community Wildlife and Better Boundaries) which will provide support to communities and land managers to map wildlife and implement actions to link habitats. The Community Wildlife Plans project has now been approved for funding by the New Forest LEADER appraisal panel, so we are just waiting for final confirmation from Defra and a contract and then we can move forward with this project. The Authority’s work with Pond Conservation to develop a strategy for conserving the Forest’s special ponds using a landscape scale approach has continued. Water catchment plan for the New Forest . Work has started on the New Forest catchment pilot project. Jim Whatley started work with the Authority, taking up the post to coordinate this innovative national pilot which seeks to engage stakeholders in developing a catchment vision and action plan for the water bodies of the New Forest. ‘New Forest remembers - untold stories of World War II’ . The Heritage Lottery funded project is now underway with James Brown managing and education and outreach being led by Gareth Owen started in late January. Work has been progressing on setting up the framework for volunteer involvement and setting out the criteria for assessing sites. New Forest Higher Level Stewardship Scheme use of Lidar . The Heritage HLS Mapping and Data Officer post was reappointed and Tom Dommett returned to the Authority in April (previously having worked with us as an archaeological bursary placement). Tom has been establishing a detailed work programme and has continued to provide enhanced data to inform stream and mire restoration projects for the Crown Land Higher Level Stewardship Scheme. 1.2 Achieve excellence in development and planning Minerals and Waste . The Examination hearing sessions for the Hampshire Minerals and Waste Plan (covering the whole of the National Park, including the small area within Wiltshire) took place in Winchester between 6 – 8 June and 12 – 15 June. As one of the five partner planning authorities, the National Park Authority has been involved in these sessions and further information can be found on the separate agenda item on this Plan. Development Control . Development Control has received 192 applications since 1 April and has approved 81% of the applications determined since this date. The team continues to meet the targets in terms 3 New Forest National Park Authority Meeting NFNPA 408/12 28 June 2012 Chief Executive’s Report of timeliness of decisions. Over 92% of the applications determined were delegated decisions. The Development Control Team has had an excellent start to the financial year with eight appeal decisions having been received of which seven were dismissed and one received a split decision (with the inspector effectively dismissing the element that the Authority were concerned about). The dismissal of the appeals relating to Pound Bottom were particularly pleasing. In addition, the Authority also won full costs against the applicant in relation to an appeal in Winsor. The Authority’s Planning Development Control Committee approved for the purposes of public consultation the draft Development Standards Supplementary Planning Document in May 2012. The production of this document fulfils a commitment within the Authority’s adopted Core Strategy and provides further guidance to supplement the planning policies in the Core Strategy. As well as setting out the required standards for sustainable construction, car parking and open space provision associated with new development; the draft document provides further guidance on the delivery of affordable housing and mitigating the impacts of development on protected habitats within the New Forest. The six week public consultation on this draft document runs until mid July and members will be presented with a final version of the document at the September Authority meeting. National Planning Policy Framework . Following publication of the Government’s National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) at the end of March, the Policy team are finalising the assessment of the compatibility of the Core Strategy with the new Framework. The initial conclusion is that there are no areas of major conflict between the new national Framework and the Authority’s local policies.