Scottish Government ditches plans to create Galloway National Park

Local communities have welcomed a Scottish Government decision to abandon its plans to create a National Park in Dumfries and Galloway.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon conceded there was too much opposition to the proposals to push ahead with the plans to create a brand new national park.

The decision marks the latest commitment made in the Bute House Agreement - the power-sharing deal between the SNP and the Scottish Greens which ended a year ago - that has been ditched by the Scottish Government.

Plans to create a national park in Galloway have proved controversial | Getty Images

In a statement in Holyrood on Thursday, Ms Gougeon said: “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.

“I realise that this decision will be very disappointing for those who have been campaigning for a new national park in Galloway over many years.”

Ms Gougeon said 54 per cent of the people who had responded to their consultation on the proposals opposed the idea of a new national park. When only local responses were included, this increased to 57 per cent.

The minister said: “Support was greatest amongst the environment, recreation and tourism sectors, whilst landowners, land managers and those working in the farming, forestry and renewable energy sectors had the strongest reservations.

​Mairi Gougeon MSP.

“Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation and consultation, the reporter has advised that, whilst it considers that the proposed area meets the conditions for a national park set out in the legislation, the proposal does not have sufficient clarity, nor has it garnered sufficient local support to proceed to the next stage of designation.”

Liz Hitschmann, co-founder of the No Galloway National Park campaign, said: “We are very relieved the Scottish Government has recognised the strength of opposition to the imposition of a national park on our region, but the overwhelming response from local people directly affected was impossible to ignore.

“We are so grateful to all those who have supported our campaign, which from a standing start less than a year ago has steadily built momentum as people understood what a national park could really mean.

“There is no question Dumfries and Galloway needs investment in our infrastructure, but it did not need millions frittered away on another layer of bureaucracy which could override local wishes, and the many government-funded organisations in the area need to deliver that investment.”

Meanwhile the announcement was praised as the “right decision” by Stephen Young, director of policy at Scottish Land and Estates.

He said: “A majority of people in Galloway - those who know the area best - said they did not want this to go ahead.

“Our own survey of members revealed overwhelming opposition to the park, with 91 per cent of respondents within the proposed boundaries and 67 per cent in the wider area expressing concerns.

“These are the farmers, foresters, tourism providers and rural businesses who form the backbone of the region's economy.

“While we are not opposed to the principle of national parks, the Galloway proposal failed to explain what added value it would bring - particularly in the face of well-established initiatives already delivering for nature, people and the economy, such as the Unesco Biosphere, the International Dark Sky Park and South of Scotland Enterprise.

The Scottish Conservatives said the decision was a “victory for common sense and local people”.

Finlay Carson, the MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, said: “Ever since Green minister Lorna Slater got her hands on these proposals as part of the disastrous Bute House Agreement, the whole process became deeply flawed.

“It felt like a Green nationalist park was going to be imposed on these communities rather than one that they were initially keen to see.

“The whole process was completely blighted by a lack of transparency and created deep divisions within our community that may well take years to heal.”

He adds it will be “impossible” now for the SNP to rebuild trust with those living in Galloway and Ayrshire.

However the move was heavily criticised by the Scottish Greens, who were the most vocal supporters of the idea within Holyrood.

Mark Ruskell MSP said: “This decision to scrap the promised national park for Galloway is the culmination of lack of confident political leadership and the dangerous influence of powerful vested interests.

“By scrapping plans for the third national park in Galloway, the Scottish Government has slammed the door on the economic investment and new powers this designation could bring.

“This is devastating news for the local community and nature.”

Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell

Kat Jones, director of Action to Protect Rural Scotland, said: “The news that Galloway is no longer under consideration to be Scotland’s next national park should send a chill down the spine of everyone campaigning to make the world a better place.

“That a policy so popular with the public, and a designation with so much promise for the region, has been dropped, seemingly in response to a well-funded media campaign spreading fear and misinformation, is a tragedy.

“But this is not just a tragedy for the people of Galloway and southern Ayrshire, who were set to benefit most from the national park, this decision impoverishes all of us.

“National parks are a recognition of the best of our nation’s landscapes and this decision will impact Scotland’s standing as a country that values and protects its nature.

A map showing the rough boundary of the proposed national park in Galloway | contributed

“This decision is a betrayal of the Galloway people who have worked tirelessly for seven years to bring well deserved, national recognition for the special landscapes of their area.”

Karen Blackport, co-convener of Scottish Rewilding Alliance and chief executive of Bright Green Nature, said: “By scrapping plans for a Galloway National Park, the Scottish Government has yet again proved it cannot successfully plot a path to a wilder Scotland.

“This decision undermines efforts to restore nature, protect wildlife and support resilient rural communities.”

A number of other organisations, including Ramblers Scotland, RSPB Scotland and the South of Scotland Destination Alliance, also branded the decision a “missed opportunity”.

John Thomson, chair of the Scottish Campaign for National Parks, added there had been “misunderstandings” about the role national parks play during this debate.

This is the latest in a line of Green policies the SNP has either ditched or watered down since the Bute House Agreement was scrapped a year ago.

Other policies include gender reforms, bans on conversion therapy, introducing highly-protected marine areas, and watering own heat in building and rent control promises.