Scottish Government drops plans for new national park

The Scottish Government has dropped plans for a new national park.

What would have been Scotland’s third national park was proposed to take in parts of Dumfries and Galloway, as well as parts of South and East Ayrshire.

On Thursday Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon announced that the plans had been scrapped.

“We have weighed up the arguments for and against the creation of a new National Park in the area, taking full account of the potential economic, social and environmental factors, and we have come to the conclusion not to proceed with the designation of a National Park in Galloway and Ayrshire,” she said.

It comes after the Scottish Government Reporter, which makes planning decisions, said that the proposal doesn’t have sufficient clarity, nor has it garnered sufficient local support to proceed to the next stage.

Scottish Government ministers had been urged to press ahead with plans to establish a new national park, with supporters in Galloway insisting any delay will cause “unacceptable uncertainty” for the region.

But a consultation found that 57% of local residents opposed the plans while 40% were supportive.

Map of Dumfries and Galloway national park proposals. NatureScot

Those against granting national park status to Galloway had claimed it could cost the area more than £500m by 2035, arguing such a move could prevent developments such as new wind farms.

But supporters said the area is currently “the forgotten corner of Scotland” and that designating it as a national park could attract new people, while preventing the area from becoming a “dumping ground for inappropriate windfarms”.

Scotland currently has two national parks, in the Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the UK’s largest nature conservation charity, was “very disappointed” by the announcement.

“A number of RSPB Scotland’s reserves sit within National Parks, and we believe that a third National Park in Scotland – whether in Galloway or elsewhere – should be a welcome proposal that would deliver positive outcomes for nature,” RSPB said.

“Following today’s decision, RSPB Scotland is calling on the Scottish Government to swiftly come forward with alternative additional measures that clearly demonstrate its commitment to restoring nature and tackling the nature and climate emergency.”