CAMPAIGNERS were today calling for a fresh start after the boss of New Forest National Park Authority sensationally quit.

Under-fire chief executive Lindsay Cornish dramatically announced her resignation to a shocked annual meeting of the authority in Lyndhurst yesterday.

It came after a letter criticising her management style and role at the authority hit the headlines earlier this month.

The anonymous 2,000-word document, purporting to have been penned by some members of staff, accused her of being blinkered and autocratic and had been sent to one of Britain’s top civil servants.

Last night, critics of the NPA were calling for the opening of a new chapter as they step up their own battle against controversial blueprints being drawn up for the area.

The pressure groups Forest Uprising, New Forest Dog Owners and One Voice are already eyeing the exit as an opportunity to re-energise talks over the draft management plan, which include moves to create dog-free car parks, curbs on horse keeping and the possibility of road tolls.

But the authority still remains resolute in its bid to push ahead and adopt the plans later this year.

Campaigners looked on at yesterday’s meetings as Ms Cornish, who had been at the helm for four years, read out her pre-prepared statement.

In it, she told members that it had always been her intention to “pass the baton on” once the authority had been fully established.

But she added: “I also believe that the recent perception of me and my role by some sections of the public, ill informed and libellous as some of it is, may be damaging the reputation of the entire authority.

“For these and other personal reasons I will therefore be leaving the authority at the end of the month.”

NPA chairman Clive Chatters praised the contribution made by Ms Cornish since she took up the reins and later said he hoped a new boss would be chosen within days.

He had earlier described allegations against Ms Cornish in the letter as defamatory and demanded proof that the letter was written by employees of the authority.

However, the organisation has done a U-turn over the docu-ment. Having originally des-cribed it as genuine, they now say its origins are unknown.

Addressing the meeting, Mr Chatters said: “I have known for some time about Lindsay’s views on the need to hand over to a successor at the right time and I understand and respect her reasoning on this.

“It saddens me that some parties have more recently chosen to make personal and offensive comments about her. Such nasty behaviour falls outside what I regard as common decency; I will deal with that matter separately.

“I am sure that all members will join me in thanking Lindsay for her singular contribution to the creation and achievements of the National Park Authority and in wishing Lindsay well for the future.”

Outside the meeting, the announcement was welcomed by New Forest West MP Desmond Swayne, who said it was time to “mend some fences”.

“I was pleased,” he said.

“I believe it gives the National Park Authority a fresh start after what was a pretty grim three years during which the authority managed to get pretty much everybody’s back up.

“I’m not blaming her, but she was chief executive and she has now resigned.

“The time has now come to mend some fences and the ideal opportunity is the consultation over the draft management plan.”