NATIONAL PARK STATUS FOR NEW FOREST

This morning's decision marks one of the most historic moments in the history of the New Forest.

The park will come into being in April, 2006 and will be the smallest of the eight now in existence in the country.

The boundary will see most of the New Forest District Council area become part of the park, but areas excluded from the scheme include Ringwood and Lymington as well as Dibden Bay, which was at the centre of a huge planning battle after Associated British Ports unveiled proposals to build a massive container port on the site.

However, the land was left untouched after the government threw out the plans earlier this year.

Today's National Park decision has sparked mixed reactions.Supporters said the new status would protect rare habitats for animals, birds and plants from intensive farming and building. More than half the coast and land that lies within the park boundary is of the highest importance for wildlife and protected as Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Opponents claim it will encourage too many tourists to use the New Forest's overcrowded roads and towns. Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett made the contentious decision after receiving recommendations from the Countryside Commission. In a written ministerial statement, she said the New Forest "met the criteria and purposes of a National Park". Desmond Swayne, Tory MP for New Forest West, pledged to try to make the National Park work but claimed it was "a mistake".

He feared the soon-to-be-created New Forest National Park Authority would reduce protection for the forest by compromising the role of the New Forest Verderers, who help manage the area and said the size of the National Park was too small.

Mr Swayne said: "I'm clearly disappointed. My fear all along was that the 1949 legislation was out of touch with modern reality and with the special circumstances of the New Forest and the danger was it would actually reduce the quality of protection available to the New Forest.

"I hope I'm going to be proved wrong about that and I will be working very hard with everyone else involved to make a success of it. My concern is there will be an influx of demand for leisure activities because of the national park status and the new authority will realise that tourism is the money-maker rather than forestry."

New Forest East MP Julian Lewis said: "This result was absolutely predictable because the government had always said that it wanted a National Park for the New Forest. The inquiry was to find out if the New Forest had the qualities fit to become a National Park and not whether a National Park would be the best way forward for the New Forest.

"We will have to do our best to make the new system work although I retain the forebodings which I expressed in detail when it I gave evidence to the inquiry."

Richard Wakeford, chief executive of the Countryside Agency, said: "We are delighted that the secretary of state has confirmed our designation of the New Forest as a National Park.

"The New Forest is a remarkable historic landscape of international importance, not least due to the good stewardship of the Verderers, Foresters and Commoners. National Park status is the best way to protect this special area from the pressures that it continues to face."

Dave Yates, chief executive of New Forest District Council, said: "We're still analysing the announcement.

"We were expecting there to be a national park, we had expressed a view it should be tailor-made, which it isn't going to be. Our main emotion at the moment is one of surprise over the boundaries. These appear to have been drawn much more narrowly than was recommended and clearly excluded Lymington, Ringwood but also major areas of Totton and around Dibden Bay.

"This is a surprise and a disappointment.

"Clearly Dibden Bay already had a large degree of protection but we will need to study that further. "

Maureen Robinson, leader of the Liberal Democrats on New Forest District Council, said: "It's very good to have a decision at long last.

"I've always supported the idea of a National Park for the New Forest although I have my reservations as the arrangements of the governance but I welcome the decision."

Pete Sopowski, vice-chairman of the New Forest branch of the Labour party, said: "Almost everyone locally will be delighted that the New Forest has gained National Park Status. The New Forest is now a National Park because the wishes of the many have not been thwarted by the few. A crucially-important decision and a date to remember in the history of the New Forest. This decision will benefit the New Forest and the nation."

English Nature welcomed the announcement. Dr Wanda Fojt, English Nature's area team manager for Hampshire and Isle of Wight, added: "This momentous decision is not just another accolade for the New Forest and its fantastic coastline. The National Park will build on the excellent foundations laid by the New Forest Committee and, importantly, bring with it the integrated approach neededto create the right conditions for a living and working landscape that's rich in wildlife."