Rural Affairs Secretary rejects call for referendum on new national park

The Rural Affairs Secretary has rejected the idea of holding a referendum on Scotland’s newest national park amid concerns over whether locals are in favour of it.

Mairi Gougeon said an ongoing consultation will allow residents in the area to express their opinion on the proposed Galloway National Park.

The south of Scotland location was announced in July as the planned spot for the nation’s third national park, after Cairngorms and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs.

But concerns have been raised about whether it will benefit the area, and some locals have already launched objections to it.

Ms Gougeon, along with others in favour of it, said it could help improve the area’s economy and bring in more visitors.

Appearing before Holyrood’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee on Wednesday, she was asked if a referendum could be the way forward.

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing, who previously held Ms Gougeon’s role, said: “If this idea is taken forward, surely the only real way to measure opinion would be by asking the people that are resident within the area of the boundaries of the national park by a local referendum? I thought our party was in favour of referendums?”

Ms Gougeon said: “I think, again, we’re in the middle of the consultation process at the moment, so I think it’s important that we see that through.

“I’m in favour more of that process because I think within that we ask people if they want a national park within that area.

“But there’s also the wider qualitative information that we’re getting out of that too.”

Ms Gougeon said those who take part in the consultation can have their say on what the boundaries of the national park could look like. She said it is important a variety of opinions on the site are heard.

Asked if she is ruling out a local referendum, she replied: “Yes.”

Mr Ewing, who said he had been a resident in both national parks, claimed the existing Cairngorms National Park is not performing well.

The Inverness and Nairn MSP said there had been no independent analysis of the success of either existing park in the past two decades since their creation.

The Rural Affairs Secretary said she will not stop the consultation on the new national park to undertake an independent review of existing ones.

But she told MSPs it is “concerning” how divisive the proposal has proved among residents in the south of Scotland.

She added: “I think there has been concern that this is a done deal, that the Government had a commitment to establish a park and regardless of what happens that would be taking place anyway. That is by no means the case.

“As I say, I want to hear what people in the area think about it before then determining any next steps.”

The consultation, run by NatureScot, on Galloway National Park is already open and can be found on the NatureScot website. It will close on February 14.