NEW Forest commoners could get a financial boost if radical plans to impose a levy on campers come to fruition.

The suggestion came from the New Forest Commoners' Defence Association at the March Verderers' Court at Lyndhurst.

Spokesman Michael Cooper said it was felt that holidaymakers should make "some small financial contribution so that a practical working fund could be created for the sustainment and improvement of commoning".

"This would allow development in many areas of our profession, without having to go cap in hand' to a government agency, only to receive some modest amount with overwhelming conditions attached," he said.

"As camping in the New Forest has recently undergone a makeover and camping charges have been substantially increased, we see this as an appropriate time to consider the proposal of a £1 levy."

Funds raised should be transferred to a working account controlled by the Verderers and/or the National Park Authority.

A "proportionate number of NFCDA committee members" would be involved to ensure fair regulation and use of the funds.

Official verderer Oliver Crosthwaite Eyre said to Mr Cooper: "A radical proposal, and we will obviously debate it later this morning."

The matter was discussed at length by the Verderers in committee but they are not yet in a position to comment further.

Forest Holidays, which operates the 10 former Forestry Commission campsites in the New Forest, would not discuss the numbers of campers using its facilities, saying it was "commercially sensitive information".

But if all the 3,220 pitches in the New Forest were utilised fully during their periods of opening on the basis of £1 a week, that would add up to more than £63,000.

Mr Cooper told the Daily Echo that Commoners' Defence Association members did not know how much money could be made.

"It's very much speculative at the moment. We just want to get some dialogue going," he said.

Money raised this way could be used on a wide range of projects such as refurbishing animal pounds, providing back-up grazing or grazing for New Forest stallions, or helping set up young commoners.