Councillors to submit formal response to consultation on national park
Many concerns from communities have been raised with the council.
A series of concerns have been raised by Dumfries and Galloway Council chiefs around Galloway becoming Scotland’s next national park.
The local authority has been invited to submit its formal response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on the controversial park proposals.
The community is already divided over the pros and cons of a potential Galloway National Park, and council officers have now drafted their strong opinions on the national park plans.
A special council meeting will be held next Wednesday to consider all the issues they have highlighted and for councillors to finalise the draft consultation response.
Council chiefs wrote: “Whilst there are strategic grounds for supporting some form of new national park, there are also concerns about a number of aspects.”
The document then listed concerns under the following six categories: mixed support from local communities, businesses and stakeholders; the governance model; issues around connectivity due to the rurality of the region; the potential for house prices to be affected and this impacting the region’s affordable housing stock; the lack of clarity around how a national park will be financed and resourced; and the duplication of planning authority powers.
However, council officers have also acknowledged significant benefits a national park could bring the region.
They wrote: “If resourced adequately a national park body would be able to advise on rural economic development and entrepreneurship, hospitality and tourism, rural skills and development to maximise the opportunities of the national park designation.
“To achieve this a new national park must come with extra resources both money and staff.
“It is noted that any investment is tied to the national park designation and would not otherwise be available.
“Dumfries and Galloway Council has a vision to be ‘the natural place to live, work, visit and invest’. A new national park in the southwest of Scotland, with accompanying additional resources and opportunities, aligns with our council’s principles and strategic outcomes.”
The economic benefits were underlined, with the document stating: “National parks have a proven track record for attracting extra funding.
“National parks generate tourist spending and support local businesses. They also attract people to live, work and establish businesses.
“Core Scottish Government investment in national parks is regularly and significantly enhanced by external funding brought in by the NPA (national park authorities) themselves.”
The council has already written to the Scottish Government calling for a referendum on whether or not the national park should go ahead.
This course of action was chosen after Dee and Glenkens Councillor Dougie Campbell and Castle Douglas and Crocketford Councillor Pauline Drysdale argued that the public weren’t satisfied with the Scottish Government’s consultation process, and that Galloway residents should be given a yes or no vote on such an important issue.
Councillors voted 24-13 (with two abstentions) in favour of writing to the Scottish Government to demand the national park referendum after this consultation process is completed.
However, it looks unlikely that the Scottish Government will approve a local referendum on this issue after Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon rejected the idea, arguing that the ongoing consultation would allow residents in the area to express their opinion on the proposals.
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