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<p>The Minister’s Mandate, which is mainly concerned with the conservation of the
natural and cultural heritage of the Crown lands of the New Forest, does not contain
any references to the provision or the letting of dwellings.</p><p> </p><p>The principles
guiding the Forestry Commission’s approach to housing in the New Forest are unchanged.
The Commission aims primarily to meet its operational requirements in respect of housing
for its own workforce, some of whom are also Commoners, but also continues to offer
discounted residential rents to other Commoners in the New Forest. The Commission
plays a vital role in the life of the New Forest, and over the past 25 years has done
much to support commoning through its land management and property policies. This
includes substantial public subsidy on the basis of the benefits to commoning and
maintaining the traditions of the New Forest, but this has to be balanced with the
need for financial sustainability in managing the local housing stock and the cost
to the taxpayer of caring for the nation’s forests.</p><p> </p><p>I would expect the
Forestry Commission to seek approval from Ministers before any fundamental change
in approach is implemented.</p>
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