Builders face £600 fee per new home near national park

The tariff is being rolled out to help protect local wildlife

Developers will be charged an extra £600 per new home they build surrounding a national park.

Wiltshire Council's cabinet approved the tariff on 7 May to help protect wildlife and it will apply to new homes within an 8.57mile (13.8km) zone of the New Forest National Park.

The tariff will go ahead after surveys found that 75% of New Forest visitors came from homes within the zone.

Under the plan, developers will contribute towards mitigation measures such as pathway and infrastructure improvements.

The revised New Forest mitigation strategy was agreed by councillors to ease pressures caused by locals to the national park's protected sites, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) said.

Councillor Richard Clewer, Wiltshire Council's leader, said herbivores roaming the New Forest had an “incredibly beneficial” impact on the ecology of the site, creating a “unique environment” that draws people in.

He added that this places “significant pressure” on the area.

The New Forest protected sites comprise the New Forest Special Protection Area (SPA), New Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and New Forest Ramsar site.

These international statutory wildlife site designations are legally protected, meaning Wiltshire Council must provide an appropriate mitigation strategy for the adverse consequences of nearby development.