THE new draft boundary for the New Forest National Park is published by the Countryside Agency today (Thursday) at a special launch event in Lymington.

This marks the beginning of a special public consultation period, during which all residents of the area will receive a leaflet and will have the opportunity to make their views known.

The draft boundary includes the controversial Dibden Bay site, where Associated British Ports hope to build a massive deep-water container terminal.

It takes in areas of three counties - Hampshire, Dorset and Wiltshire.

It includes all of the New Forest Heritage Area, much of the Avon Valley and the Solent Coast, along with the rest of the South Hampshire Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and land alongside Southampton Water not currently in the Heritage Area.

In the east (Totton and the Waterside) it follows a line similar to that of the New Forest Heritage Area.

The main differences are extensions at Totton, Dibden and Calshot, where the Heritage Area meets the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

In the south it follows the low water mark from Calshot Point to Hurst Beach at Keyhaven, taking in the whole of the Solent coast and waterfront, including all of the South Hampshire AONB and the town of Lymington because of its historical connections with the Forest, its high quality character and its role in providing services and accommodation for visitors to the area.

In the west it includes most of the Avon Valley, but excludes Ringwood because of the dominance of the A31 and modern development.

In the north - Wiltshire and the Test Valley - the draft National Park boundary is the same as the existing New Forest Heritage Area.

Apart from Ringwood, notable exclusions are Fawley, Dibden and Hythe, and the area between them, along with Marchwood, Totton, and the coastal strip between Keyhaven and Christchurch.

This means that Milford on Sea, Hordle, New Milton and Highcliffe will not be within the National Park. However, Hinton, Bashley and Tiptoe are included.

And the hamlets of Burton and Winkton, previously outside the Heritage Area, do fall within the designated boundary.

Launching the consultation in Lymington today, Dr Victoria Edwards, Countryside Agency Board member, said: "When the Countryside Agency Board agreed last year to begin the process of designating the New Forest as a National Park, we said that we recognised the need to create the right type of National Park for this special area.

"One of the most important steps is to identify the appropriate boundary.

"We have drawn up this draft boundary following a very robust appraisal of the statutory criteria.

"We are sending details of it to every address in and close to the New Forest.

"We will also be holding meetings with key organisations and holding events for the public when they can talk to Countryside Agency staff about the boundary.

"These will take place over the next few weeks to give everybody a chance to discuss our proposals.

"I want to make it clear that the Countryside Agency has not reached a decision on what the final boundary will be.

"We want to hear from anyone, no matter where they live, who has a view on the draft boundary."

The leaflet, which will be posted to every address in the area, is widely available to others, and more detailed information is also available on the Countryside Agency's website.

Copies of a full report and large scale maps will be available in main branches of public libraries, tourist information centres and at local authority offices, and parish councils are each being sent a copy.