GOVERNMENT ministers have been warned that changes to the planning rules could jeopardise attempts to provide more social housing in the New Forest.

Developers building ten properties or less will no longer have to include an element of affordable housing under proposed new regulations drawn up by Whitehall.

But most of the developments approved in the New Forest and other national parks are small-scale schemes below the new threshold.

Only one application for ten or more homes has been submitted to the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) since it was established in 2005.

Now all ten national parks in the UK have warned communities secretary Eric Pickles that any reduction in the threshold would seriously threaten their ability to provide low-cost for locals.

In a letter to Mr Pickles they say the New Forest and other national parks should be exempt from the proposed relaxation of the rules.

The typical price for a house in the Forest is now £516,479 - more than double the average for the rest of Hampshire.

Pat Wyeth, chairman of the NPA's planning committee, said: “Soaring house prices have made it even more difficult for local people to afford to own their own home.

“That's why we need to do all we can to support the provision of affordable homes in areas such as the New Forest National Park.”

Jim Bailey, chairman of National Parks England, added: “Reforming the Section 106 agreements might sound like a boring bit of planning but the changes go to the heart of how we can respond to the need for affordable housing in rural communities.

“The national park authorities are committed to supporting living, working communities.

“This proposal won't help that in rural areas. We hope the Government will listen and exempt national parks from the changes.”

But planning minister Brandon Lewis supported the proposed new rules, saying the Government wanted to give small builders a boost and thus increase the number of new homes.

“These reforms will help increase both house building and housing supply, and lower the construction cost of new build housing and home improvements.

“The consultation has now closed and we are considering responses including those from national parks.”