New Forest District Council had promised to publish a full draft Local Plan for public consultation in autumn 2026, before sending it off for examination by the end of the year under the current planning rules. That timetable has now been dropped, with officers instead proposing to restart the process under the Government’s new planning system. Cllr Steve Davies, NFDC. Without an up‑to‑date Local Plan, more planning applications may need to be decided on a case‑by‑case basis and could be more likely to go to appeal. The proposal to restart the plan under the new system will go first to the council’s cabinet on August 5.