The New Forest National Park (“the Park”) was designated on 24th January 2002 under Part II of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. The designation was confirmed with modifications on 1st March 2005 and took effect on that date.

This Order establishes the New Forest National Park Authority (“the Authority”) for the area of the Park and specifies the time when the Authority becomes the local planning authority for the Park.

In particular, this Order makes provision for—

• the establishment of the Authority on 1st April 2005 (article 3);

• the membership of the Authority. There shall be 22 members, 10 of whom are to be appointed by the Secretary of State (4 of those members being parish members), and 12 to be appointed by the local authorities for the area of the Park (article 4);

• meetings and proceedings of the Authority (article 10 and Schedule 1);

• reports, returns and accounts (articles 12 and 13);

• staff (article 14 and Schedule 2);

• specifying 1st April 2006 for the purposes of section 4A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 (article 15). On this date the Authority becomes, for most purposes, the sole local planning authority for the Park. (Also on this date, in consequence of sections 68 to 70 of the Environment Act 1995 the Authority takes on various other statutory functions including planning authority functions under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, the Countryside Act 1968 and the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981);

• applying various enactments and instruments to the Authority (article 16 and Schedule 3); and

• transitional and supplemental matters (article 17 and Schedule 4).

A full regulatory impact assessment of the effect that this instrument will have on the costs of business is available from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at Zone 1/04, Temple Quay House, 2 The Square, Temple Quay, Bristol BS1 6EB and is also available at www.defra.gov.uk