Labour party workers in the New Forest have hit back at suggestions that a National Park for the area could cost jobs.

New Forest Council leader Simon Hayes expressed his concerns that controls brought in by National Park status could prevent land at present reserved for employment uses from eventually becoming factory sites.

There have been numerous calls for the Forest to be given a special, tailor-made National Park instead of the standard format used in other areas governed by National Park authorities.

But New Forest East Labour Party chairman Peter Sopowski said: "Planning permission will be given where needed to sustain the local economy, so any fears of a crackdown on industry are just scare-mongering against a National Park.

Mr Sopowski added: "As for keeping control of planning, it will be locally-elected councillors who decide. They may decide to delegate the planning function to another agency, such as New Forest District Council's planning department. But even if the National Park sets up its own separate planning department, it will be local councillors who make the decisions."

On calls from Hampshire County Council for the Forest to be given tailor-made legislation, he referred to letters from parliamentary under-secretary of state Chris Mullen, and from Ewan Cameron who is chairman of the Countryside Agency which is working on the park plan.

Mr Sopowski said: "It has been clearly stated by government that there is no prospect of early legislation to set up a tailor-made body and the plans proposed by the county council would mean that a National Parks grant of 75 per cent of the costs would not be available to the area."