National Park in Galloway: proposal by Scottish Ministers

Meeting the conditions for National Park designation

8. Section 2(2) of the 2000 Act sets out the following conditions for the proposal of a National Park:

a) that the area is of outstanding national importance because of its natural heritage or the combination of its natural and cultural heritage;

(b) that the area has a distinctive character and a coherent identity; and

(c) that designating the area as a National Park would meet the special needs of the area, and would be the best means of ensuring that the National Park aims set out at section 1 of the Act are collectively achieved in relation to the area in a co-ordinated way.

9. The extent to which these conditions may be satisfied in relation to an area was a key consideration during the recent appraisal process for new National Park nominations.

10. Based on the information that was provided in the nomination for a new National Park in Galloway, it appears to the Scottish Ministers that the conditions in section 2(2) of the 2000 Act are likely to be, or will be, met in relation to the area of Galloway. The Scottish Ministers have also noted the report of the new National Parks appraisal panel, which concludes that the Galloway nomination meets all of the criteria within the appraisal framework.