Latest news with #MairiGougeon
The Courier
10 hours ago
- Politics
- The Courier
Controversial Perthshire national park bid back in play as rival plan scrapped
Hopes have been revived for a new national park in Highland Perthshire. Perth and Kinross Council's 'Tay Forest' project was mothballed last summer when Galloway was named the preferred location for Scotland's third national park. But the Galloway bid was scrapped this week following 'significant opposition'. And that's raised the prospect of the Perthshire national park proposal being resurrected. The council told The Courier it is following events at Holyrood. 'We are awaiting further information from the Scottish Government,' said a spokesman. Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon was asked about the chances for a Perthshire national park when she announced the Galloway scheme had hit the buffers on Thursday. Mid Scotland and Fife Green MSP Mark Ruskell said communities in Perthshire had shown 'majority public support' for the bid, despite an 'aggressive misinformation campaign'. And he asked: 'Will the government now re-engage with that bid for Scotland's third national park? 'Or has it simply given up on the idea altogether?' Ms Gougeon insisted the government was still minded to establish more national parks, providing it gets the process right. 'We reached the stage of introducing the proposal to designate Galloway as a national park only because it met all the criteria that had been established and consulted on,' she added. 'We are not looking to do that at the moment, but we remain open to doing so in the future.' The Perthshire national park bid was ruled out of the running by the Scottish Government last July. It would have stretched across almost 3,000 square kilometres of Perthshire, taking in the towns of Aberfeldy, Comrie, Crieff, Dunkeld and Pitlochry. The council held an eight-week consultation on the Tay Forest proposal and received around 350 responses to its survey. More than half of respondents (56.8%) agreed or strongly agreed with the idea. But critics said national park policies – such as beaver re-introduction – conflicted with the interests of local farmers and managers. The Tayside and Central Scotland Moorland Group branded the consultation response 'woeful' and mounted an angry protest outside the council's headquarters. Aberfeldy Community Council was supportive of the national park bid. Its chairman Victor Clements says the group will watch the next steps with interest. But he suggests there are other ways to invest in nature conservation without adding more layers of management. 'Instead of funding the administrative structures of a new national park, give the equivalent budget to Perth and Kinross Council, and let them fund nature conservation initiatives and a ranger service directly,' said Mr Clements. 'The council could also support farmers and landowners in doing the things they do want to do, as they have shown they can do in the past with the Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) scheme and other grant programmes.' The SNP signed up to a new national park as part of the power-sharing Bute House agreement with the Scottish Greens. It has since been scrapped too.
Daily Record
a day ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
Galloway National Park opponents and supporters react to Scottish Government scrapping plans
Opponents say they are 'very relieved' the bid won't move forward but supporters say it is a 'big loss'. Opponents and supporters of a Galloway National Park have given their reaction to the Scottish Government's announcement that the proposal has been scrapped. The No Galloway National Park say they are 'very relieved' that the bid won't move forward. But the Galloway National Park Association have described the move as a 'big loss'. Rural Affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon announced on Thursday the idea was being binned. She said 54 per cent of people who responded to the NatureScot consultation opposed a national park and 42 per cent were in favour, with the majority of those responding from Galloway and Ayrshire. No Galloway National Park co-founder Liz Hitschmann 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.' Campaign co-founder, Denise Brownlee, added: 'The Cabinet Secretary has promised a real plan for investment building on those existing structures and everyone in Dumfries and Galloway and Ayrshire needs to hold her to that.' Rob Lucas, the chairman of the Galloway National Park Association, was disappointed at the move. He said: 'This is a big loss for our countryside and wildlife, for everyone living in the region and for our entire country. 'Our disappointment is not just for the loss of a National Park, but for the whole future of Galloway which has been badly let down once again. 'Galloway and its fragile environment, communities, and economy face huge challenges that must be overcome. 'After years of neglect and decline it must now fall to those who opposed a National Park to address these issues and to do so without the certainty and money the Park would have brought. 'Although the minister has decided not to proceed, it is clear that the spotlight has rightly been shone on Galloway which is clearly on the map for now at least. 'We hope that any new measures put forward, although no substitute for a national park, will enable Galloway to come together and collectively develop a brighter future for this very special area.' The Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere Partnership had worked on the submission that Galloway should be home to Scotland's third national park. Vice chair of the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere, Patrick Wiggins, said: 'The last few months have seen passionate arguments both in favour of and against the creation of a new national park for Scotland. 'Our position has always been that any future national park should embrace the ethos of our UNESCO Biosphere by reflecting the voice and the views of local people, so whilst disappointed with the outcome we are pleased that NatureScot's recommendation does exactly this. We were satisfied with the public consultation process which was accessible, thorough and transparent. 'Importantly from our perspective, the report offers encouragement as we look ahead to the future activity of the GSA Biosphere Partnership. We are pleased to have the vocal support of Scottish Ministers and recognition of our potential to attract investment, develop environmental protections, and help build sustainable communities in Scotland's south west.'
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Record
No National Park for Ayrshire as Scottish Government drop plans
Plans for the Galloway National Park which would have included parts of South and East Ayrshire have been dropped by the Scottish Government. Plans for a third national park in Scotland which would take in parts of Ayrshire have been dropped by the Scottish Government. Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon today, Thursday, May 29, confirmed to the Scottish Parliament that the plans for the Galloway National Park would not progress. Opposition to the nomination alongside the Reporter's recommendations against it mean the region will not get national park status. The decision has been condemned by a number of groups including Action to Protect Rural Scotland, the Scottish Campaign for National Parks and Ramblers Scotland. A consultation by NatureScot found that 54 per cent of people opposed a national park and 42 per cent were in favour, with the majority of those responding from Galloway and Ayrshire. Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Gougeon said: 'While there is substantial support for a National Park and what it could deliver for the southwest of Scotland, there is also significant opposition. 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. 'I also recognise the huge amount of work and time that has been invested by a great many people throughout this process. I would like to thank everyone involved, including members of the Galloway National Park Association and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere. 'I would also like to thank NatureScot for its work carrying out such an important and extensive public consultation in a robust and professional way that was commended in the review of the process carried out by the Scottish Community Development Centre. The consultation raised some really important issues that local people care deeply about and we now have the opportunity to look at how we can address these. 'The Scottish Government remains committed to our existing National Parks and the vital leadership role that they play in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises, promoting sustainable land management and supporting the economic and social development of local communities. Our National Parks are achieving for people and nature.' 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. '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. 'If the Scottish Government can't muster the energy to get a policy as popular, with as many co-benefits, and with such cross-party support, as a National Park over the line, how will we make the far more challenging changes we will need to stave off the nature and climate emergencies?' John Thomson, chair of the Scottish Campaign for National Parks, said: 'It is deeply sad that misunderstandings about the role and impact of National Parks, together with intensive and often misleading lobbying, should have deprived Scotland's people of the third National Park that they were promised little more than three years ago. 'The country's two existing National Parks are already at the forefront in tackling the ever more pressing climate and biodiversity emergency, and in leading the way to the greener, healthier and happier wellbeing economy that the Scottish Government said it was pursuing. 'A new National Park for Scotland was supported by all political parties. The Ministers' decision represents a major failure to capitalise on Scotland's peerless combination of natural and cultural assets. 'For Galloway it is a huge missed opportunity to secure not only profile and resources but a stronger say over its future. 'All those with the region's interests truly at heart will now have to redouble their efforts to protect its precious landscapes and habitats from the many threats that they face". Ramblers Scotland director, Brendan Paddy, said: 'Scotland has waited for two decades for its third national park, so we are disappointed to see this major opportunity missed. 'A new Galloway National Park, if delivered well, had the potential to attract funding, promote responsible outdoor recreation and support people from all backgrounds to walk in this beautiful corner of Scotland. 'We hope that the next Parliament will work to rebuild confidence that national parks are a key part of how Scotland's finest environments can be managed for the mutual benefit of residents, visitors and nature.'
Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Telegraph
SNP forced to axe national park plan after farmers' backlash
SNP ministers have axed plans to create a new national park in Scotland following a backlash from farmers and residents. Mairi Gougeon, the Rural Affairs Secretary, told MSPs an official report had concluded that there was not 'sufficient local support to proceed' with the park in Galloway. In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, she said responses to a consultation showed 54 per cent of people were opposed to the plan compared to 42 per cent in favour. Taking account only of the views of residents, 57 per cent opposed the scheme and only 40 per cent backed it. More than eight out of 10 farmers and foresters were also hostile to the park. Ms Gougeon accepted her announcement 'will be very disappointing for those who have been campaigning for a new national park in Galloway over many years'. The Tories welcomed the decision but warned it could take 'years to heal' deep divisions in the area created by the scheme. SNP ministers announced last July that the region in south-west Scotland had been chosen from a five-strong shortlist as the possible site of the country's third national park. The status meant the area would be set aside for conservation, with most of the landscapes and accompanying plants and animals protected in their natural state. A consultation proposed that it be called the Kingdom of Galloway National Park and covers up to 3,400 sq km, or 1,300 sq miles, making it around twice as large as the one covering Loch Lomond and the Trossachs. But farmers warned that it will lead to extra red tape for their businesses and prioritise tourism and visitor access over their needs, thereby damaging food production. NFU Scotland said 93 per cent of its members in the area opposed the plan. A third national park is the latest in a series of commitments made in the power-sharing deal between Nicola Sturgeon's government and the Scottish Greens to be axed or delayed. The coalition between the two parties, titled the Bute House Agreement, fell apart last year when Humza Yousaf, the then first minister, kicked the Greens out of government. The Telegraph disclosed on Saturday that Holyrood insiders expected the plan to be shelved but Ms Gougeon went further by scrapping it altogether. She said: 'While there is substantial support for a national park and what it could deliver for the south-west of Scotland, there is also significant opposition.' Ms Gougeon said that NatureScot had concluded that 'the proposal does not have sufficient clarity, nor has it garnered sufficient local support to proceed to the next stage of designation'. Finlay Carson, the Scottish Tory MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, said: 'This a victory for common sense and a victory for local people in Galloway and Ayrshire. '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.' 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.' Stephen Young, director of policy at landowners' body Scottish Land & Estates, said: 'The decision not to proceed with the Galloway National Park proposal is the right one by the Scottish Government and aligns with the clear views expressed by communities and businesses across the region.' But Mark Ruskell, a Scottish Greens MSP, said the decision was a 'betrayal' and 'the culmination of lack of confident political leadership and the dangerous influence of powerful vested interests'.
Sky News
2 days ago
- Business
- Sky News
Scottish government scraps plan for new national park in Galloway
Plans to create Scotland's third national park in Galloway and Ayrshire have been scrapped, the Scottish government has announced. Galloway was last year chosen as the preferred location for the nation's newest national park. A public consultation was carried out by NatureScot, with local residents, communities, businesses and interested parties invited to share their views on the proposal. Plans for the scheme - mostly in Dumfries and Galloway but also extending into parts of South and East Ayrshire - proved contentious. Supporters argued it would put the region on the map, boost the local economy, and prevent it from becoming a "dumping ground for inappropriate windfarms". However, opponents claimed making it more difficult for developers to secure planning permission for projects would negatively affect economic activity in the area. Other concerns raised included house prices potentially being pushed up, as well as the region's ability to cope with any additional tourism. In an update at the Scottish parliament on Thursday, rural affairs secretary Mairi Gougeon told MSPs that 54% of those who engaged with the consultation opposed the plans, while 42% supported it. Taking into account local responses alone, 57% were found to be in opposition compared to 40% in favour. Proposal hasn't 'garnered sufficient local support' Ms Gougeon said: "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." The MSP added: "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." There are currently 15 national parks in the UK - two in Scotland, 10 in England and three in Wales. Cairngorms National Park and Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park are the two north of the border. The power-sharing Bute House Agreement between the SNP and the Scottish Greens in 2021 led to the Scottish government pledging that "at least one" new park would be designated by spring 2026. Galloway saw off competition from areas in the Scottish Borders, Lochaber, Loch Awe and Tay Forest. The joint Galloway National Park Association (GNPA) and Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere (GSABP) bid touted the area as "Scotland in miniature" with its "diverse landscapes and stunning coastline, its outstanding biodiversity and rich cultural heritage". What was the public consultation? Ms Gougeon said NatureScot's public consultation ran for 14 weeks from November 2024 until February 2025. More than 5,000 surveys were completed and more than 1,000 people attended events that were held in relation to the plans. Meetings were also held with local authorities and community councils, and with representatives from the farming, forestry, tourism, renewables and conservation sectors. 'Heated debate' Ms Gougeon said public interest in the proposal had "proven to be huge" and generated "both strong support and strong opposition". She added: "At times, the debate has become quite heated." Ms Gougeon said while the designation of a new national park will not go ahead in Galloway and Ayrshire, the Scottish government "remains committed" and will "remain open" to proposals for new national parks in the future. 'Devastating news' Scottish Greens MSP Mark Ruskell said it was "devastating news for the local community and nature". He added: "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." David Hope-Jones, chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA), said the decision was a "missed opportunity to attract sustained investment in visitor management, visitor experience and visitor infrastructure". He added: "In deciding not to back the Galloway National Park, we call on the Scottish government to outline how, through new investment, the same sustainable economic results can be achieved." Campaigners 'relieved' Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) said it was the "right" decision. Director of policy Stephen Young said: "The Scottish government still has an important role to play in shaping a successful future for Galloway by supporting the infrastructure and conditions that rural businesses need to thrive. "We welcome the government's commitment to backing the region's long-term prosperity." Liz Hitschmann, co-founder of No Galloway National Park, said the campaign group was "relieved" with the decision. She added: "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."
