Poll with stark 73% verdict fuels row over Scotland's newly-proposed national park

A bid to create Scotland’s newest national park in Galloway is facing opposition from local residents after three quarters of those surveyed said they were against the plan.

Galloway has been selected from a list of five other regions to potentially become the country’s third national park.

However, a survey, which was sent to residents and businesses living within the proposed boundary, found 73 per cent voted against the proposed national park bid, 16 per cent were for the proposal and 11 per cent remained undecided.

A scenic view in Galloway, where the national park would be created. Picture: Getty Images | Getty Images

The National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS) said only 28 per cent of the 1,983 respondents were members of the union, and 33 per cent identified themselves as farmers.

Looking exclusively at NFUS members, 556 members responded, of which 78 per cent were against the proposals, 10 per cent were for the plan and 12 per cent were undecided.

The union said the results from the survey, which ran between February and September this year, gives NFUS “a clear mandate to continue its opposition to the proposals.”

The Galloway National Park Association, who are behind the campaign for national park status, said the NFUS survey outcome was “a foregone conclusion” as it was promoted by the No Galloway National Park Group. The campaign group urged the public find out “all they can about a potential Galloway National Park from NatureScot before making up their minds.”

An official government consultation on the move is due to begin in November.

NFU Scotland’s chairman of Dumfries and Galloway Region, Stewart Wyllie said: “With almost 2,000 responses, the majority are clearly against the National Park proposals. The high response rate justified our decision to open the survey to all rather than just NFUS members.

“NFU Scotland continues to meet with NatureScot to establish how it will fulfil its remit as reporter and ensure the views of all are considered.”

The results come after landowner membership organisation Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) said it will not be supporting the creation of the national park after it completed its own questionnaire about the move.

Of the SLE members surveyed within the proposed park boundaries, 91 per cent were opposed to the plans. Among members in the wider south-west “ripple area,” around the proposed boundaries, opposition stood at 67 per cent.

SLE said the park proposals fail to explain the “tangible benefits” it would bring to the region, businesses and communities. The membership organisation said while it was not opposed to national parks in principle, there had not been a clear explanation as to why the “added bureaucracy and apparently unbudgeted funding of a national park was the only means through which progress could be made on issues such as growing the economy and tackling the climate emergency.”

Members of Dumfries and Galloway-based campaign group Hands Off Our Hills, however have spoken in favour of the area winning national park status.

Co-founder Donna Stewart said the designation would “put Galloway on the map.”

Ms Stewart said: “I've heard others saying that Dumfries and Galloway is the armpit of Scotland.” She said national park status would “increase tourism and a better chance of there being more year-round jobs.”

Member David Spruce said while the group does not want to see anyone disadvantaged by potential regulation, he said the area, including Newton Stewart where HOOH is based, needs more income.

“Newton Stewart needs injection of employment and tourism, but we wouldn’t want to see anyone disadvantaged from it,” he said.

Gordan Mann, trustee of the GNPA, said: “We are disappointed that NFUS carried out its survey before NatureScot’s Public Engagement period process – giving the factual information about the proposed Galloway National Park – had begun.

“This important process aims to make sure that everyone is fully informed about what it would mean for the region, ahead of the formal consultation period later this year.

“Whilst the survey was open to anyone wishing to express their views it was promoted to their members who were told, before its launch, that NFUS had resolved nationally to oppose the creation of any new National Parks.

“When the National Park bid process started in October 2023, and again when the online survey began, we provided the NFUS locally with information about the potential impact on farming, planning and land management.

“This was not passed on to members even though it would have helped them separate fact from fiction regarding bureaucracy, planning controls and National Park powers.

“The NFUS survey was also promoted via the No GNP group.

“With all this in mind the outcome was a foregone conclusion. We encourage everyone, even if they responded to the NFUS Survey, to find out all they can about a potential Galloway National Park from NatureScot before making up their minds. This is one-off chance to benefit from major investment designed to help Galloway thrive and prosper and should not be lost.”

To date, there has been no official democratic survey on whether people living in the area are opposed to the proposed national park or not.

First Minister John Swinney was challenged in Parliament last week after appearing to “stop short” of guaranteeing that if local people reject the national park plans, they would be dropped.

NatureScot said from November, there will be a formal 12-week public consultation examining people’s views and arrangements for the proposed national park, including the area it will cover and how it is governed.