Galloway National Park consultation 'biased' say campaigners

Launched last week, the consultation is being run by the Scottish Government’s NatureScot agency and will be open for responses until February 14, with NatureScot expected to make its recommendations to ministers by April 28.

The consultation focuses on what potential new park might consist of - from its boundary to its board makeup, and even what the park could be called.

Campaign group 'No Galloway National Park Campaign' has said that the public are being pointed to the shorter “summary” consultation with six basic questions, with a fuller survey available which has 21 questions, including whether there should be a ranger service and how public sector workers should be deployed.

The park would cover parts of Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway (Image: NQ Archive) The group has met up previously to lobby against the proposals, which would cover parts of East and South Ayrshire, as well as Dumfries and Galloway.

Those in favour of the park say it has the possibility to bring job opportunities to the area, as well as improve nature trails.

Despite this, No Galloway National Park campaigners are firmly against the plans and are dismayed at how the questionnaire has been framed.

“It is quite clear that the consultation is designed to give NatureScot the answers it wants,” said campaign co-founder Denise Brownlee.

“Asking people what they would like the park to be called is the most obvious evidence that they fully intend there to be a park of one sort or anther come what may, and that makes a mockery of the views of hundreds of people who have been in touch with us to say how unhappy they are that this is even bring considered.

“They are playing with people’s lives, yet they seem more bothered about asking people to come up with a name for their park.

“The way the information is presented barely acknowledges that a significant number of people do not want a park and the whole thing is skewed to deliver a predetermined result.”

The group met up earlier this year to lobby against the planned park (Image: NQ Archive) Oliver Mundell, Scottish Conservative MSP for Dumfriesshire, has also been disappointed with how the consultation has been put forward.

He said: "Having looked at the consultation details, I'm dismayed by such a naked attempt to push the case for a national park, when so many people are worried sick by the headlong rush to impose this ill-conceived plan before the election.

"It is absolutely essential that a halt is called so the existing parks can be fully and independently examined before any more time and effort is wasted on this exercise.

"There are enough concerns in Cairngorms and Loch Lomond to justify a proper appraisal even without this attempt to impose a park here in Dumfries and Galloway against the will of so many local people."