NEW Forest District Council is considering recruiting more planning officers to cope with “enhanced levels of growth” proposed for the authority’s area.

The council’s cabinet is being recommended to approve £267,000 in funding for new planning officers and a further £88,600 for additional open spaces staff ahead of its meeting next week.

A report produced for the meeting says: “The workload of the two planning service areas has increased significantly over the past 18 months in particular.

“The teams are currently resourced at a level to reflect the ‘restrained’ growth of the current and previous planning strategies for the area.

“Members will be aware that the changes in national planning policy have required the council to plan for much higher rates of development in its review of the local plan.”

The council’s local plan was approved for submission to the secretary of state at the beginning of June and will increase house-building targets.