THE consultation for the Galloway National Park has now entered its final month and activity is ramping up on both sides.
And there’s a final push to get more people locally to submit their views, whether it’s for or against.
A Question and Answer style meeting will take place in Parton Village Hall on Tuesday night from 7 pm and is a chance for locals to get more information.
Taking part will be representatives from the Galloway National Park Association, the NFU, Scottish Woodlands and from the tourism sector.
There are also five official consultation events still to take place this month in Barnhill, Dalbeattie, Castle Douglas and Dumfries.
Meanwhile, campaigners against the park plans are heading to the Scottish Parliament to hold a demonstration there on February 13, with scores of protestors expected to participate.
The consultation closes the following day, on February 14. and NatureScot this week revealed that since it was launched on November 7, nearly 1000 people have now attended their 30-plus public events; 52,000 leaflets have been distributed to households and businesses within the proposed area; and more than 1800 online surveys have been completed.
Furthermore, the NatureScot National Park reporter staff have so far attended 216 meetings with residents and issued over 1100 email responses to enquiries.
The organisation’s head of people and places Pete Rawcliffe said: “We’ve been listening to people from all walks of life and from all perspectives in this busy public consultation.
“We’ve worked hard to ensure that those living and working in the area have the opportunity to discuss the issues, consider the content of the proposal for a national park in Galloway, and decide whether they support it or not, or have alternatives they wish to suggest.
“We will convey all the views expressed during the consultation in our report to Scottish ministers this spring.
“With one month of the consultation left, there is still plenty of time to get involved, take the time to read the proposal, and have your voice heard. There is extensive information about Scotland’s national parks and this proposal on our website, with leaflet versions of the surveys available in accessible versions. Whatever views you hold on the proposal, we encourage everyone who has yet to do so to get informed and have their say.”
For more information visit: newnationalparkgalloway.commonplace.is.
