Future matters is an important initiative that brings together the 3 key planning bodies in the New Forest area, the New Forest District Council, the New Forest National Park and the Local Strategic Authority Partnership. 

These three bodies have been working together to mount a joint consultation process to help inform each of their individual strategic plans, all of which are due for draft publication and consultation at various times during this year. 

The three plans cover the following subjects:

NFDC - Community Strategy
The Strategy for the District - to improve economic, social and environmental well being of the New Forest District

NFNP - New Forest National Park Management Plan
The Plan for the National Park - to conserve and enhance its special qualities and promote their understanding and enjoyment

LSAP - Local Development Framework Core Strategy
Spatial policies for both the District and National Park – to manage change in the interests of sustainable development

Important for Marchwood to get involved?
The Marchwood Parish Council discussed this subject in January and formulated their own official response to this first consultation phase of ‘Future Matters’. 

In addition, the Community Plan steering group felt strongly that while a bit early for us, we have received the bulk of the responses to our Community Plan questionnaire, so we now have a reasonably good idea of our action priorities. 

We could not therefore miss this opportunity to firmly register with these key bodies at this important first stage, the issues in our Community Plan that we will want the Parish, District and County Councils to address.  

To build on the questionnaire responses a workshop was held in January involving members from many of the representative organisations in Marchwood. 

The result was an active and enthusiastic discussion followed by development of a clear response to the consultation, which has taken an important first step towards raising the profile of the issues that you have told us need to be addressed in order to make Marchwood an even better place to live.

Alan Stevens
Marchwood Community Plan Co-ordinator.