THE New Forest is not so desperate for back-up grazing land for its ponies and cattle that its boundary has to be pushed out into the Fawley area, parts of the Avon Valley and land south of Lymington.

That was the view put to the public inquiry into plans for a New Forest National Park yesterday by agricultural and economics consultant William Steele.

He was speaking on behalf of the Quarry Products Association against the inclusion of some areas for the benefit of animals which are taken off the Forest in the winter and put into fields regarded as back-up grazing land.

"There is no justification to attaching any weight to the consideration of back-up grazing issues when considering the boundary of the National Park in the Avon Valley," he said, adding that any land already used for grazing had adequate protection.

On the question of land south of Lymington, he said part was too far from the Forest to be useful and other areas either had sufficient protection or were in public ownership.

Mr Steele also told the inquiry: "I can see little evidence to suggest that within the Fawley area, any existing or future needs of commoners for housing and land as well as back-up grazing are not being met.

"Land which is not being used for commoning activity is not likely to come forward given its high quality and better economic return under arable cropping."