A National Park proposal for Galloway - Reporter Plan
Context
On the 22nd July, Scottish Ministers made a statutory proposal for a new National Park to be established in Galloway (with the potential area extending to parts of Dumfries and East and South Ayrshire). They also asked NatureScot to be the Reporter for the next phase of work to develop and consult on the detailed arrangements for the proposed National Park and to gauge public opinion on it. NatureScot’s chair has responded to the Cabinet Secretary welcoming the commission and emphasising the open, transparent and inclusive manner with which we will deliver it.
The proposal is not itself a designation announcement. Informed by NatureScot’s advice, final decisions on establishing Scotland’s third National Park will be made in due course by Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament. If Ministers decide to go ahead with designation, further public consultation will take place on a draft designation order. At this stage there would be a detailed boundary to comment on. More information on the designation process is available from the NatureScot National Parks web pages.
The Plan
Scottish Government’s requirements (see Annex 1) on NatureScot as Reporter include the need for us to publish a plan within one month of receipt of the Proposal and Requirements for how we will take forward the Reporter investigation. The publication of this plan fulfils this requirement. It provides more information on the process that NatureScot will follow as we investigate the suitability of the area as a national park and the options for its size, powers, functions and governance arrangements. It outlines the formal consultation we will undertake to gauge opinion on the proposal and how we will seek to engage with local communities, organisations, businesses and interest groups in developing our advice to Scottish Government which is due to be submitted by the end of April 2025.
There will be three main phases in the Reporting stage as follows. Further detail of each of these phases is provided below and in Annex 1.
Phase of work | Purpose | Timing |
---|---|---|
Engagement | To raise awareness of the proposal and work with local interests and other stakeholders to design an effective consultation strategy and to develop the draft proposals for consultation. | August 2024 to mid-October 2024 |
Consultation | To gauge opinion on detailed proposals and the support or opposition to the proposal through a formal 12 week consultation | November 2024 to January 2025 |
Advice | To analyse the responses received and finalise advice for Ministers taking account of the views expressed. | February 2025 to April 2025 |
The work will be overseen by a project board chaired by the Deputy Director of Nature and Climate for NatureScot. The main Board will sign-off the final advice in April.
The reporting phase plan builds on the previous engagement work with communities and businesses undertaken by the Galloway National Park Association and the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire UNESCO Biosphere in preparing their successful nomination. But it also needs to go beyond this engagement work to ensure that everyone living and working in the area have an opportunity to discuss the issues, consider the content of the proposal including the desirability of a National Park in the area, and suggest any alternatives. In addition to engaging and consulting local authorities, community councils, businesses, landowners, land managers and interest groups, we also need to work closely with agencies and public bodies who provide expertise on the social, economic and environmental matters which are outwith NatureScot’s remit.
Engagement Phase
NatureScot will undertake as broad and deep an engagement process as possible in the time available. To do this, we plan to:
- Write to all local authorities, community councils and community development organisations in the area proposed in the Bid alerting them of the proposal and seeking meetings with them – see Annex 2.
- Provide information, such as details of the process, Frequently Asked Questions and updates on progress, on the national park pages of our website. These will be updated throughout the reporting work.
- Provide an online engagement platform from the end of August 2024. This will provide information and also surveys and map-based interaction. Information on forthcoming events will be here too.
- Distribute an introductory, explanatory leaflet to households in, and near, the area proposed in the nomination.
- Hold a series of online and in-person meetings with local, regional and national stakeholders
- Hold a series of drop-in surgeries across the area and at relevant meetings and events.
- Connect with the range of businesses operating in the area, working through the contacts and networks suggested by the local authorities, South of Scotland Enterprise, VisitScotland, National Farmers Union of Scotland, Scottish Land & Estates, Forestry and Land Scotland, Confederation of Forest Industries, Scottish Renewables and others.
- Scope and develop bespoke engagement with young people and under-represented people and groups.
- Issue press releases and social media content to raise the profile of the work.
- Provide an email address for queries and aim to respond to them within five working days.
Consultation Phase
The formal consultation will need to seek views on the range of issues we have been asked to provide advice to Ministers on. It will also need to gauge opinion - given the options presented – on whether the proposal for a National Park is supported or not, and why. As far as possible the options it presents should build on the views and discussions held during the engagement phase. In undertaking the consultation, we need to be inclusive, participatory and equality-focused, ensuring proactive engagement with those with protected characteristics including ethnicity, age, disability and intersectionality.
To reach as broad an audience as possible, various elements of consultation are planned including:
- A full consultation paper and survey available via the NatureScot website and in writing (we have still to consider what other forms may be required to ensure everyone can access it).
- A short version of the consultation paper and survey available on the online portal.
- A short version of the consultation paper and survey distributed to households in, and near, the area proposed in the nomination.
- A series of independently facilitated public meetings and drop-in surgeries in and near the area.
- Bespoke events and surveys for businesses, including agriculture, forestry and other land-management sectors
- Bespoke activities and events for young-people and under-represented groups.
- One or more regional or national online meetings.
The precise format and timing of the consultation elements 4. to 7. will be finalised following the series of meetings planned for the engagement phase.
Advice Phase
Analysis of responses will be undertaken in-house in February 2025. The report, based on those findings, will be written between February and March 2025 for finalisation and issuing to Minsters by the end of April 2025. It will then be published and laid before the Scottish Parliament.
The report will include a detailed analysis of the balance of opinion on the matters considered, including specific reference to the views expressed by local communities and businesses (including those representing agriculture and forestry interests) and by bodies and agencies representative of interests which fall outside NatureScot’s main remit. Separate reports will provide a detailed account of the responses received from each of the consultation elements listed above. The advice will include a broad-scale map of the proposed area, probably at A3 size.
We will also commission an evaluation of the process which will independently report on its effectiveness and be presented as part of our advice to Ministers.
NatureScot
August 2024.
Annex 1 – Key Milestones
Phase of work | Week beginning | Milestone |
---|---|---|
- | 22 July | Statutory proposal made and reporter commissioned |
Engagement | 29 July 5 August 12 August 19 August |
|
Engagement | 26 August |
|
Engagement | 2 September to 28 October |
|
Consultation | Week beginning 4 November to week beginning 27 January
|
|
Advice | 3 February – 7 March | Analysis of consultation responses |
Advice | 3 March to 28 April |
|
Annex 2 – Local Authorities and Community Councils
Local Authorities
- Dumfries and Galloway Council
- East Ayrshire Council
- South Ayrshire Council
Community Councils
- Auchencairn
- Ballantrae
- Balmaclellan
- Balmaghie
- Barr
- Barrhill
- Borgue
- Buittle Parish
- Cairnryan
- Carsphairn
- Castle Kennedy
- Colmonell and Lendalfoot
- Colvend and Southwick
- Cree Valley
- Crossmichael and District
- Dailly
- Dalbeattie
- Dalmellington
- Dalry
- Dundrennan
- Garlieston
- Gatehouse of Fleet
- Girvan and District
- Isle of Whithorn
- Kelton
- Kirkbean
- Kirkcolm
- Kirkcowan
- Kirkgunzeon
- Kirkmabreck
- Kirkmaiden
- Leswalt
- Lochans
- New Abbey
- New Luce
- Old Luce
- Parton
- Pinwherry and Pinmore
- Port William
- Portpatrick
- Royal Burgh of Kirkcudbright and District
- Royal Burgh of Wigtown and District
- Sorbie
- Southerness
- Stoneykirk
- Stranraer, Ochtrelure and Belmont
- The Royal Burgh of New Galloway and Kells Parish
- The Royal Burgh of Whithorn and District
- Tongland and Ringford
- Troqueer Landward
- Twynholm
Community development organisations
- All Roads lead to Whithorn
- The Ballantrae Trust
- Barrhill Development Trust
- Castle Douglas Community Centre Development Trust
- Creetown Initiative Ltd
- Dalbeattie Community Initiative
- Dalmellington Community Association
- Glenkens Community and Arts Trust Limited
- Glenkens & District Trust
- Glentrool & Bargrennan Community Trust
- Kirkcolm Community Trust
- Kirkcowan Community Development Trust
- Kirkcudbright Development Trust
- The Mull of Galloway Trust
- Newton Stewart Initiative
- Old Luce Development Trust
- Port William Development Trust
- Portpatrick Community Development Trust
- Portpatrick Harbour Community Benefit Society
- Stranraer Development Trust
- The Whithorn Trust