Equalities Impact Assessment
Summary
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Equalities Impact Assessment
New Forest National Park draft Local Plan Review 2024 - 2043
New Forest National Park Authority has prepared a draft Local Plan following early engagement and commissioning of technical evidence. The Local Plan review will set out policies to guide development in the New Forest National Park up to 2043. A number of policies are carried forward from the 2019 adopted local plan, in addition to new policies on matters that have come to light in the intervening period and changes in national planning policy.
This assessment presents the findings of an assessment of the likely effects of the Regulation 18 (part 2) version of the draft Local Plan on equality impact issues.
The requirement to undertake formal Equalities Impact Assessment of plans was introduced in the Equality Act 2010. The Act was subsequently abolished in 2012 as part of Government bid to reduce bureaucracy. Despite this however, authorities are still required to have regard to the provisions of the Equality Act, namely the Public Sector Duty which requires public authorities to have due regard for equalities considerations when exercising their functions. In fulfilling this duty, many authorities still find it useful to produce a written record of equalities issues having been carefully considered. This is the purpose of this document.
The Equality Act 2010 identifies nine ‘protected characteristics’ and seeks to protect people from discrimination on the basis of these characteristics. They are – age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; gender; and sexual orientation.
The Regulation 18 (part 2) draft Local Plan document has been reviewed to consider the likely impacts of the policies on each of the nine protected characteristics in terms of their likely effects (positive, neutral or negative). The findings are set out in the table below.
| The assessment must consider the nine protected characteristics as set out above. | Comment |
|---|---|
| Why is the policy, procedure or strategy required? | To provide the overall vision, strategic aims and objectives and spatial planning policies for the whole of the administrative area of the New Forest National Park for the period to 2043. |
| How will it be implemented? Do you have documented procedures in place? |
The Local Plan policies will be mainly implemented through the Authority’s Development Management function, as well as working with other authorities and stakeholders to achieve the Strategy’s objectives. At this stage the local plan is a consultation document and will be reviewed in light of representations receive, prior to further consultation and submission for independent examination in late 2026. |
| For which groups of people will there be an impact? Do men and women use the service in different ways / have different needs from the service? | The strategic and long-term nature of the Local Plan means it has the potential to have some impact on many who live in or visit the National Park. |
| How significant is it in terms of its nature and the number of people likely to be affected? | The strategic and long-term nature of the Local Plan means it has the potential to have some impact on many who live in or visit the National Park. |
| Is the impact positive, negative or neutral? | The attached assessment specifically identifies the potential impact of each policy within the Local Plan. Whilst some Local Plan policies may have an impact on all members of the community, the assessment attempts to identify policies that may impact the particular groups being considered. |
| How will you disseminate your policy, procedure or strategy? | The review of the Local Plan commenced in 2024, with an early public engagement exercise in February – March 2025, where views were sought on the Strategic Direction of Travel. Consultation to date is set out in the report to the Authority on 16 October 2025, seeking authorisation to publish the local plan, where a consultation statement was appended, setting how previous consultation was published and how the representations have been taken into consideration in preparing the Regulation 18 (part 2) version now published for consultation. |
| Is your policy, procedure or strategy in Plain English and available in different formats? | Yes, it is in plain English, and is available in other formats upon request |
| Does your policy/procedure/strategy compliment or link to other policies or procedures? If so are these links made clear? | Yes, it is linked with the New Forest National Park Partnership Plan in particular, but also with other National Park strategies such as the Landscape Action Plan. |
| What methods have you used to consult? | The nine protected characteristics of the Equalities Act were taken into consideration when preparing and consulting on the Plan, in particular ensuring that all groups of people have the opportunity to access and participate in consultations. Further details on the methods used to consult are set out in the Authority’s Consultation Statement. |
| Outcomes / Monitoring of the impact assessment: | Comment |
| How will you measure the effect of your policy /procedure for end users? | Through the Annual Monitoring Report, produced each December/January, the latest of which can be found at: http://www.newforestnpa.gov.uk/index/planning/pl-planpolicy/monitoring.htm |
| How would you know from your monitoring if anyone was disadvantaged? |
The Annual Monitoring Report includes the monitoring of:
|
| How is monitoring information fed back to end users? | The Annual Monitoring Report is published on the website after its production in December/January each year |
| When is your next review? | The Local Plan has yet to be adopted, so no review date has been set yet. |
Assessment of Regulation 18 (Part 2) draft New Forest National Park Local Plan Policies
| Local Plan Policies | Policy’s potential impact1 on: age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; gender; and sexual orientation (Positive; Negative; N = Neutral / no specific impact identified) |
|---|---|
| SP1 Supporting sustainable development |
Positive Refers to the need for housing for local needs; accessibility to employment opportunities; improved public transport links; enhanced community and recreational facilities. Also includes reference to improving health and well-being. |
| DP2 General Development Principles |
Positive States that proposals will be permitted where they incorporate best practice in energy conservation; do not have adverse impacts associated with traffic and pollution; and requires compliance with the Local Plan Car Parking and Cycling Standards. |
| SP3 Spatial Strategy |
Positive Expresses a strategy for the provision of homes, employment and gypsy and traveller accommodation. This will help to meet the needs of local communities within the Park |
| SP4 Major Development in the National Park | N |
| SP5 Land to North of Fawley Waterside | N |
| SP6 Infrastructure Provision and developer contributions |
Positive Developer contributions help to support infrastructure provision which can include improved access for people with disabilities or support for transport options. |
| SP7 Safeguarding and Improving Water Resources | N |
| SP8 Flood Risk | N |
| SP9 Sustainable Construction | N |
| SP10 Renewable Energy | N |
| SP11 Nature Conservation Sites of International Importance | N |
| SP12 The Natural Environment – nationally, regionally and locally important sites | N |
| SP13 Biodiversity Net Gain | N |
| SP14 Landscape Character | N |
| SP15 Green and Blue Infrastructure | N |
| DP16 Open Space | N |
| DP17 Recreational Horse Keeping | N |
| DP18 Field Shelters and Stables | N |
| DP19 Maneges | N |
| SP20 Coastal Development | N |
| SP21 Coastal Change Management Area | N |
| SP22 Tranquillity and Dark Skies | N |
| SP23 The Historic and Built Environment | N |
| DP24 Heritage | N |
| DP25 Local Distinctiveness | N |
| DP26 Design Principles |
Positive Policy refers to creating a safe and accessible environment. |
| DP27 Residential Character of the Defined Villages | N |
| SP28 New Residential Development in the National Park |
Positive In expressing the quantum of new housing to be provided, the policy includes reference to addressing local housing need and that dwellings should be built to accessible and adaptable standards, with provision for affordable housing and wheelchair user dwellings. |
| SP29 Specialist Housing for Older People (Use Class C2) |
Positive Supports new housing development where it would address an identified need or requirement for specialist housing for older people. |
| SP30 The Size of New Dwellings | N |
| SP31 Land at Wharton’s Lane, Ashurst | N |
| SP32 Land at Ashurst Hospital |
Positive Supports new housing development where it would address and identified need or requirement for specialist housing for older people. |
| SP33 Land at Kneller Lane, Ashurst | N |
| SP34 Land at the Lyndhurst Park Hotel, Lyndhurst |
Positive Supports new housing development where it would address and identified need or requirement for specialist housing for older people. |
| SP35 Land at Calpe Avenue, Lyndhurst |
Positive Supports new housing development where it would address and identified need or requirement for specialist housing for older people. |
| SP36 Land south of Church Lane, Sway | N |
| SP37 Land to west of Brighton Road, Sway |
Positive Supports new housing development where it would address and identified need or requirement for specialist housing for older people. |
| SP38 Land to west of Winsor Road, Bartley | N |
| SP39 Land to south of Hamptworth Road, Landford | N |
| SP40 Land to west of The Ridge, Redlynch | N |
| SP41 Affordable Housing provision within the Defined Villages and on Allocated Sites |
Positive Ensures new residential development incorporates some affordable housing to support local housing needs |
| SP42 Rural Exception Sites |
Positive Enables new residential development to meet local affordable housing needs |
| DP 43 New Forest Commoners’ Dwellings | N |
| DP44 New dwellings for estate agricultural and forestry Workers | N |
| DP45 Removal of Agricultural Occupancy Conditions | N |
| SP46 Self and Custom House Building | N |
| SP47 Land at Forest View, Landford for gypsies and travellers |
Positive Allocates a site specifically for gypsies and travellers |
| SP48 Gypsies, Travellers and Travelling Showpeople |
Positive Provides for the housing needs of gypsies, travellers in appropriate locations. |
| DP49 Replacement Dwellings |
Positive Allows for a larger replacement of a dwelling in exceptional circumstances to accommodate genuine family need. |
| DP50 Extensions to Dwellings |
Positive Allows for the creation of a larger dwelling in exceptional circumstances to accommodate genuine family need. |
| DP51 Outbuildings | N |
| SP52 Local Community Facilities |
Positive Supports the retention of local community facilities in the National Park which provide an essential service which could include places of worship or community halls that can be used for meetings and classes thereby providing support for parents, the young, elderly etc. |
| SP53 Maintaining and improving business floorspace | N |
| DP54 Redevelopment of Existing Employment Sites | N |
| SP55 The Land-based Economy | N |
| DP56 New agricultural and forestry related development | N |
| DP57 Re-use of farm buildings | N |
| DP58 Loss of local retail facilities |
Positive Seeks to retain local retail facilities to the benefit of those living in rural areas. |
| DP59 Retail Development outside the Defined Villages |
Positive Enables provision of local retail facilities to the benefit of those living in rural areas. |
| SP60 Sustainable Tourism Development | N |
| DP61 Holiday Parks and camp sites | N |
| SP62 Telecommunications and digital infrastructure | N |
| SP63 Transport Infrastructure | N |
| SP64 Sustainable transport and access |
Positive Promotes improvements to make existing paths, tracks and roads safer and more user friendly which may be beneficial to those with poor mobility. |
1 Where no data is available to inform the assessment, professional judgement has been used to assess the potential impact of the policy.