Leader of New Forest District Council Melville Kendal

It sets out in a non-technical way the main changes in the planning rules and advises residents and businesses where they can seek more help if necessary.

Leader of New Forest District Council Melville Kendal said: "This is an historic day. It is our intention that this council will play the fullest possible part in cooperating with the new, New Forest National Park Authority for the benefit of all the people in the New Forest and the surrounding areas within the NFDC area.

Initially there will be extra costs for this council in helping with the establishment of the National Park".

The main changes are as follows:

In the past you could extend a home by 70 cubic metres or 15 per cent without planning permission but this has been reduced to up to 50 cubic metres or 10 per cent of its volume.

External cladding will now require planning permission.

Garden buildings and enclosures such as swimming pools are more likely to require planning permission if they are more than 10 cubic metres in size.

Changes to the shape of a roof of a home will now always require planning permission.

Planning permission will now be required for a satellite dish on the wall or the roof of your house if it fronts onto the road or if it is more than 15 metres high.

There are changes in the regulations relating to agricultural and forestry developments, telecommunications development and to schools, colleges, universities and hospitals.

Changes will only apply to development within the boundary. New regulations are similar to those already applying to conservation areas and areas of outstanding natural beauty.

If work started or formal planning permission was granted before 1 March then these changes will not apply.