Scottish Government minister Mairi McAllan is to meet Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson to discuss the move.
He described it as ‘a positive move forward’ and said: “Hopefully the minister will consider my request to carry out a feasibility study to determine the pros and cons of a new national park in Galloway.
“I believe it is important that we examine all the issues surrounding the creation of a new national park, and the only way this can be achieved is through a feasibility study.”
And the MSP admitted: “I would be the first to say a Galloway National Park is not the way forward, if that is what a feasibility study showed, but we must have that in place, rather than keep kicking it into the long grass.”
No date has yet been finalised for the meeting but is likely to involve leading figures from the Galloway National Park Association.
In her response, Ms McAllan said she was aware of the level of interest, and, in particular, the work that has already been undertaken by the GNPA over a national park being established in the area.
Her private secretary said: “As with previous engagement, the meeting will need to be predicated on the understanding that the Scottish Government’s policy position continues to be that it has no current plans to create any new national parks in Scotland.”
