South Ayrshire Council Supports Galloway Nomination for New National Park Status

At a recent Cabinet meeting, South Ayrshire Council approved in principle a nomination by the Galloway National Park Association (GNPA) for a new national park in the Galloway area.

The GNPA have been campaigning for a new National Park since 2016, and successfully published a nomination for Galloway in 2023.  The proposed area is around 3000 km2, and includes local authorities in Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire.

If the GNPA submission is successful, the Scottish Government will appoint NatureScot and the Scottish Government Planning and Environmental Appeals Reporter's Unit to start more formal consultations, aligned with the development of a new National Park.

These formal consultations will provide further engagement with key stakeholders, communities and public bodies to provide more detailed engagement around the National Park framework and proposals, in order to assist in the final design.

Councillor Alec Clark, South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Holder for Tourism, Culture and Rural Affairs said: "With the UNESCO Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere already in place, this is a fantastic opportunity to further conserve and enhance the natural beauty, wildlife and cultural heritage of the area. It will also boost tourism and support key communities and businesses.

"We're looking forward to working with other local authorities and Nature Scot to explore the exciting opportunities that National Park status may bring."