COUNCIL bosses across Hampshire will benefit from a £250,000 grant into the recreational pressure of the New Forest.

The cash will fund a study into the impact on the Forest area that have arisen following new housing development in the south west of Hampshire.

Earlier this year, Test Valley Borough Council submitted the bid to the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government as a joint working initiative with the other six organisations.

They include New Forest District Council, Eastleigh Borough Council and the National Park Authority, as well as Southampton City Council.

Deputy leader of TVBC and planning portfolio holder, cllr Nick Adams-King, said: "We want to ensure we balance the strategic issues the area faces – delivering the homes needed while conserving the natural environment.

"This grant enables us to commission a study which helps deliver that balance by providing justification for the councils' Local Plans and supporting the priorities contained in the New Forest Management Plan.

"This is a huge task. With our six partner organisations, we are looking at a total conservation area of more than 29,000 hectares, which collectively represent one of the largest protected habitats in England."

A joint working group of officers from the partner organisations was set up in 2016 specifically focussing on strategic mitigation for the New Forest in order to help progress the individual Local Plans and housing delivery.

The new study will work alongside that group to enable a longer-term strategic framework for the area.