Settlement Hierarchy Review Topic Paper

Contents

1. Introduction
   • Purpose of a Settlement Hierarchy
   • Why Review the Existing Settlement Hierarchy?
2. Policy Context
3. Data collection
   • Survey of facilities and Services
   • Public Transport
   • Employment Land
4. Existing Spatial Strategy
5. Proposed settlement hierarchy
   • Proposed Revised Settlement Hierarchy
6. Conclusion
7. Appendices
   • Appendix A Service and Facilities Results 2004 – 2025
   • Appendix B Map of Public Transport Services
   • Appendix C Employment Sites

1. Introduction

1.1 The New Forest is a living working area, home to 2,500 local businesses and over 34,000 residents. The adopted Local Plan (2019) identifies the main settlements as Ashurst, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Sway, which between them are home to around a third of the National Park’s residents. There are, however, a number of other settlements dispersed across the 567 square kilometres (220 square miles) of the National Park, in addition to extensive built up areas outside of the defined Park boundary.

Purpose of a Settlement Hierarchy

1.2 A settlement hierarchy identifies, and groups together settlements that perform similar roles.

1.3 It seeks to define the functions of settlements in terms of their size, employment opportunities, transport links and range of services and facilities. Defining the settlement hierarchy helps to inform the spatial strategy for the Local Plan by ensuring that levels of growth reflect the sustainability of settlements. The settlement hierarchy also ensures that the small-scale of development that takes place within the National Park is directed towards the most sustainable settlements. At the top of the hierarchy will be settlements that fulfil the most functions and are the most sustainable. Smaller, less sustainable, settlements with fewer services and facilities will be towards the bottom of the hierarchy.

1.4 Settlement hierarchies are recognised tools to assist in the spatial planning of areas, particularly in a rural area, where there is a mix of settlements which perform varying functions.

Why Review the Existing Settlement Hierarchy?

1.5 Any settlement hierarchy assessment can only provide a snapshot in time of the services and facilities in existence, it is therefore beneficial for this to be updated, as part of the Local Plan Review.

1.6 In addition, the emerging Local Plan evidence base requires the Authority to identify and allocate further sites to meet identified housing needs to cover the plan period to 2043. Site allocations are considered within the national and local planning policy context of the New Forest National Park. The availability of suitable sites around the existing defined larger villages is becoming more challenging within the context of the national and international environmental designations within the National Park. It is therefore considered appropriate to review the settlement hierarchy to determine if further settlements could accommodate growth.

2. Policy Context

2.1 Government’s planning polices for England are set out in the National Planning Policy Framework which provides a framework for local development plans. The NPPF does not provide specific advice and guidance for the production of settlement hierarchies. However, there is an emphasis on sustainable development, a major component of which is reducing the need to travel.

2.2 In addition, National Park authorities also have a duty under Section 62(1) of the Environment Act 1995 in taking forward the two National Park purposes, and the duty to seek to foster the economic and social wellbeing of local communities within the National Park. This involves the consideration of community needs, including affordable housing, diverse employment opportunities, and local services.

2.3 The NPPF (paragraph 7) states that ‘The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development’ Footnote 7 to paragraph 11 of the Framework recognises that the presumption in favour of sustainable development applies differently within National Parks. This is linked to their statutory purposes.

2.4 Paragraph 9 states - Planning policies and decisions should play an active role in guiding development towards sustainable solutions, but in doing so should take local circumstances into account, to reflect the character, needs and opportunities of each area.

2.5 Paragraph 83 states – Planning policies should identify opportunities for villages to grow and thrive, especially where this will support local services. Where there are groups of smaller settlements, development in one village may support services in a village nearby.

2.6 The existing local plan (adopted 2019) carries forward from the previous Core Strategy (December 2010) the four defined villages of Ashurst, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst and Sway, which form the basis of the spatial strategy. The Local Plan (2019) allocated development sites adjacent to Ashurst, Lyndhurst and Sway, reflecting the functions these settlements play in the National Park.

2.7 In addition to the four ‘defined villages’ there are other smaller settlements with a basic range of local services within the National Park include Beaulieu, Burley, Bartley, Cadnam, East Boldre, Landford, Netley Marsh, Nomansland, Redlynch and Woodgreen.

2.8 This report therefore explores the current provision of services and facilities across the National Park with a view to determine whether the existing spatial strategy which focuses on the four main settlements remains appropriate.

3. Data collection

Survey of facilities and Services

3.1 Since 2004, parish councils have regularly been requested to and have supplied updates to the presence of certain facilities and services within their parishes.

3.2 Nine services were recorded including:

• Village shop/general store
• Post office
• Pub
• Garage (car repairs)
• Village hall
• Primary school
• Children’s play area
• Sports or recreation ground
• Police station/mobile office

3.3 The records show a simple yes/no response, rather than anything more complex in terms of part-time or multi functional provision.

3.4 Analysis of the results over the twenty year period 2004 – 2025 (see Appendix A) reveal a number of parishes¹ have the presence of what can be referred to as ‘key’ facilities/services to support the function and sustainability of the local community – those being a village shop/general store, primary school, pub and access to a post office, albeit this may not be a separate facility but located within the village shop. Many also have village halls which can provide multifunctional space for local clubs and societies, supporting the health and wellbeing of the local community.

3.5 Over the corresponding period the number of police stations/mobile offices has declined significantly, this is unsurprisingly and reflects the picture nationally of the consolidation of many public services to central, multi-purpose hubs.

3.6 Both children’s play areas and sports/recreation grounds are well distributed across the National Park and these serve an important function in terms of access to formal open space and recreation. Many parishes also have good links to surrounding settlements and facilities outside the National Park.

¹ Only those parishes where there is a village/settlement within the National Park boundary, the facilities survey is a record of all services and facilities many of which lie outside of the National Park.

3.7 The survey responses also recorded the presence of a garage for car repairs and again whilst this may be a valued local facility it is possibly not as key as others in terms of the sustainability of the settlement.

3.8 The fact that the number of key facilities has not changed considerably from 2004 – 2025 suggests that facilities are well used and supported by their communities.

3.9 With regard to the provision of public transport bus services, several of the 2025 responses to the services and facilities survey mention a general decline in bus services, although do not provide specific details.

Public Transport

3.10 Given the location of the National Park there are reasonable public transport connections with the surrounding urban areas of southern Hampshire (Southampton, Totton and Romsey) and Dorset (Christchurch) and up to Salisbury. This coverage provides some of even the smallest settlements with links to larger settlements to access key services and facilities. In addition, a bookable car share/taxi share service operates, albeit limited to certain days of the week and times, but providing links to facilities elsewhere.

3.11 The main railway line serving the area is South Western Railway, this offers regular services to train stations in the New Forest, including Brockenhurst, Beaulieu Road, Ashurst and Sway. In total there are eight rail stations in and around the National Park at Ashurst, Beaulieu Road, Brockenhurst, Hinton Admiral, Lymington Town, Lymington Pier, New Milton, Sway and Totton. The map at Appendix B shows the provision of public transport services.

Employment Land

3.12 As part of the local plan review, existing employment sites have been assessed in terms of their suitability to continue to provide a range of employment accommodation and/or whether they could be considered for alternative uses such as residential.

3.13 There are a range of sites in terms of size and locations, across the National Park actively in use for employment purposes, some within or close to the defined villages and others distributed across the rural areas. Appendix C lists all existing employment sites and the nearest village, in summary:

4. Existing Spatial Strategy

4.1 The Local Plan sets out where appropriate new development will take place in line with the principles of sustainable development and the statutory framework of the National Park purposes. National planning policy confirms that planning should actively manage patterns of growth to make the fullest possible use of public transport, walking and cycling and focus significant development in locations which are or can be made sustainable.

4.2 Planning in the New Forest National Park is underpinned by the delivery of the two statutory Park purposes and the related socio-economic duty. Existing planning policy emphasises new development will be small scale proposals that reflect the area’s character and address the needs of local communities in the National Park, rather than catering for external demand. This reflects national policy and primary legislation for National Parks.

4.3 The existing spatial strategy set out Iin the adopted Local Plan (2019) also reflects the proximity of the New Forest National Park to surrounding urban areas which provide a wider range of services, through the following strategy:

4.4 Policy SP4: Spatial Strategy then refers the defined villages as having settlement boundaries and to be the focus of new development. With development outside of the defined village boundaries being specifically limited.

4.5 However, over the years the availability of suitable sites which could contribute to future community needs for housing, employment and other services have diminished, it is therefore necessary to review not only the settlement hierarchy but also the accompanying spatial strategy to ensure that the local plan review can positively respond to the identified development needs of communities living within the National Park. This relates to the Authority’s duty to foster the socio-economic well-being of communities within the National Park, with the planning system playing a key role in supporting the sustainability and vitality of settlements within the National Park.

5. Proposed settlement hierarchy

5.1 Evidence from the survey of facilities indicates many parishes in addition to the already defined villages, have a good level of key facilities such as village shop/general store/post office, pub, village hall and a primary school, but not necessarily all of these.

5.2 So those parishes with a village within the National Park that have a village store/general store and access to a post office, primary school, pub and village hall, could be considered suitable for limited development and include: Beaulieu, Boldre, Burley, Copythorne, Landford, and Redlynch.

5.3 A further consideration is population, Census 2021 allows for presentation of population data, at the parish level, so including the main settlement and surrounding hamlets and individual properties, some of which may be outside of the National Park boundary.

5.4 Census data for resident population: (existing defined villages shown in green)

Source : Census 2021 Build a Profile, mid year estimates 2022, output area merged parish data.

5.4 The above indicates that in addition to the defined villages there are also other parishes with a population of 1500 and above. However, some of the main villages are located on the edge of/outside of the National Park such as Wellow and Whiteparish, leaving: Boldre, Copythorne, Landford, Netley Marsh, and Redlynch.

5.5 So taking a combination of the presence of a village store/general store and access to a post office, primary school, pub and village hall, and having a population over 1500, results in the following parishes: Boldre, Copythorne, Landford, and Redlynch.

5.6 If these parishes are then examined in terms of being served by public transport², it becomes apparent that public transport provision to the villages within the parish can be varied:

² As per data available in July 2025

5.7 In terms of employment provision at the parish level, the parishes of Copythorne, Landford and Redlynch have more sites offering employment opportunities.

5.8 Given the nature of the National Park within south Hampshire and south Wiltshire, some parishes and their constituent villages have ready access to larger settlements both immediately and a short distance from the Park boundary:

5.9 A further consideration is the form and layout of the settlements within the parish and the availability and suitability of sites, given the national landscape designations within the National Park and the statutory National Park purposes.

5.10 Many parishes are highly constrained in terms of various environmental designations, which limits options for development, albeit redevelopment proposals and potential small scale infill may be appropriate in certain circumstances.

5.11 Taking each of the above parishes in turn, the following examines their potential to accommodate growth.

Boldre

5.12 The parish council website states: ”Boldre is a large parish in the New Forest National Park extending from the Solent three miles North, containing 10,370 acres of land, of which 63 acres are covered with water. It comprises a number of distinct settlements, the largest being the villages of Boldre itself and Pilley.

5.13 The character of the area has been created by the particular landscapes of the New Forest and the Solent coastline. Forest edge settlements using local materials and vernacular architecture have developed to the north, while large country houses predominate towards the coast and along the Lymington River.”

5.13 The settlement of Boldre is relatively small compared to the parish, which includes a number of small settlements, indeed the primary school and post office are situated in Pilley as is the village hall. The dispersed nature of the community does not lend itself to further allocated development through the Local Plan. The wider area falls within the 400m buffer of the New Forest SPA and SAC and consequently should not be considered further in terms of the settlement hierarchy.

Copythorne

5.14 The parish includes a number of settlements – Bartley, Cadnam, Newbridge, Ower and Windsor, again dispersed over a large area with the key facilities also dispersed. A large part of the parish also falls within the 400m buffer of the New Forest SPA and SAC, with the exception of Cadnam, parts of Bartley and Ower. Ower is however very small with dispersed development in contrast to Cadnam and Bartley which have concentrations of built development, employment provision and a public transport service. On this basis this part of the National Park warrants further consideration through the Local Plan as a potential suitable area for new proportionate development to meet the local development needs. A recent planning application for a small-scale rural exception site development in the parish highlighted the local affordable housing need. The Parish is also affected by flood risk from both surface water and rivers, and this is an important material planning consideration.

Landford (and Nomansland)

5.15 Landford is situated in the northern part of the National Park within Wiltshire, whilst the parish includes some smaller hamlets (Hamptworth), the village of Landford is relatively contained around Lyndhurst Road and Beech Grange/Pine Close. The 400m buffer of the New Forest SPA and SAC covers Beech Grange/Pine Close and land to the south, there is also Langford Bog SSSI immediately south of Beech Grange. There is also an area of established development at Nomandsland along Forest Road, with the local primary school situated on School Road, the northern part of which lies beyond the 400m SPA/SAC buffer. There is also access to employment and a regular bus service serving the locality. Given this there may be potential for new proportionate development.

Redlynch

5.16 Redlynch is situated at the northern tip of the National Park within Wiltshire. The focus of built development is within Redlynch village rather than sporadic hamlets across the parish, where there are also employment opportunities and a regular bus service, the village lies beyond the 400m buffer of the New Forest SPA and SAC. So whilst there is the New Forest SSSI to the south of the village and a couple of Wiltshire Wildlife Sites to the west, there may be potential for new proportionate development. Redlynch also looks to the neighbouring settlements of Woodfalls, Morgan’s Vale and Downton for services.

5.17 The above assessment concludes that the settlements of Cadnam - Bartley, Landford- Nomandsland and Redlynch should be included within a revised settlement hierarchy and categorised as defined villages and settlement boundaries appropriately drawn.

Proposed Revised Settlement Hierarchy

6. Conclusions

6.1 The above follows a series of assessments to determine an additional tier to the existing established settlement hierarchy.

6.2 The consequences of identifying these additional settlements enables the Authority to explore proportionate and appropriate development and redevelopment opportunities within them as part of the local plan review. This will in turn require settlement boundaries to be drawn - see Settlement Boundary Review Topic Paper.

Appendices

Appendix A Service and Facilities Results 2004 – 2025

2004 Data

2009 Data

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2015 Data

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2019 Data

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2025 Data

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