Division over Scotland's next national park deepens as pro-campaign accused of 'dirty tricks'

Campaigners against Scotland’s newly proposed national park have accused the association behind the move of disrupting their campaign by removing banners and blocking social media posts.

Campaign group No Galloway National Park (NGNP) claims its protest banners have been taken down in three different locations in the last month. It also said posts on its Facebook page are being removed after being reported as coming from “dangerous individuals or organisations.”

The Galloway National Park Association (GNPA) denied the claims.

Galloway was selected from a list of five other regions to become the country’s third national park - joining the Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.

No Galloway National Park campaign co-founders Denise Brownlee and Liz Hitschmann | NGNP

The move has divided the local community, with some, particularly farmers and land managers, questioning the “added bureaucracy”, and how much public funding there is available to support the development.

NGNP campaigner Denise Brownlee said she spent hours unblocking messages on the group’s Facebook page, adding: “It might only be a few banners and Facebook posts, but this is supposed to be a fair community consultation and it’s very early days. These people need to calm down.”

Liz Hitschmann, from the group, said: “It’s really disappointing that supporters of a national park have descended to these types of dirty tricks.”

Rob Lucas, chair of the Galloway National Park Association, is encouraging everyone to take part in the consultation. Pic: Colin Hattersley Photography

Rob Lucas, chairman of the GNPA, responded to what he called “wild accusations,” saying: "The GNPA condemns any act of vandalism or intimidation and believes everyone should be able to express their views freely, on both sides of the debate, and has been encouraging everyone to get involved with the NatureScot engagement and consultation process in order to do this.

“Since the NGNP campaign started both supporters of a Galloway National Park and those who are undecided have been driven off social media, including our own, when attempting to express their views and find out information.”

He asked everyone involved “to be respectful to each other in order to consider the opportunity we are being offered."

Conservative MP for Dumfries & Galloway John Cooper said: “The removal of these banners already shows how heated the national park has become.”

He added: “What concerns me is that once again we have an SNP policy which is causing anger and division in communities. They say nothing has been decided and it’s all a blank sheet of paper, but you can’t have a consultation on that basis, and I’m not surprised that people feel the creation of a national park in our area is a done deal.

“The SNP Scottish Government should accept this plan is causing unacceptable and unnecessary division in Dumfries & Galloway and call a halt now before it gets any worse.”

Fergus Ewing, the SNP MSP for Inverness and Nairn, who has led opposition in the Scottish Parliament to the expansion of national parks, said: “I am appalled to hear of the extremist tactics used to try to gag those locals who oppose a national park being foisted on them.”

The Scottish Government commissioned its agency Nature Scot to carry out a consultation on the Galloway proposal starting next month. A final decision is expected at the end of April next year.

NatureScot said the proposal is “not a done deal” and that the formal consultation has not yet started.

A spokesperson said: “We are currently out and about in the proposed area meeting with community councils and other interested parties to explain the reporting process, provide information about National Parks and listen to the issues being raised.”

They added: “The formal 12-week public consultation will begin in November and there will be ample opportunity for everyone to have their say.”