Scotland's New National Park Appraisal Panel: final report

Panel Conclusions

The Core Appraisal Panel considered each of the five nominations holistically, taking into account the information provided in the nomination documents, the assessment of each nomination against the appraisal criteria and the supplementary analysis of relevant publicly available datasets.

This section sets out the panel’s conclusions from the appraisal process with the aim of supporting Scottish Ministers in determining which area or areas should be selected as ‘National Park Proposal(s)’.

These conclusions highlight the merits of each nomination, notable risks and wider considerations including a national perspective, on how National Park designation could bring benefits to Scotland as well as to the local area.

Galloway

The panel’s overall assessment was that the Galloway nomination meets all the criteria and could therefore be considered by Scottish Ministers as a potential candidate for designation as a new National Park, subject to the outcome of a detailed reporter investigation.

The panel wish to highlight the following in relation to Galloway’s nomination:

• The nomination was judged to have provided extensive evidence of the area’s natural heritage, with approximately 10% of the area under at least one nature designation including designations of international importance (Ramsar sites, SPAs and SACs). The nomination was also judged to have provided extensive evidence of the area’s cultural heritage; its potential for the protection and restoration of nature restoration; and engagement with local communities and stakeholders. Significant evidence was judged to have been provided in relation to all other criteria.
• The coastal landscape and ecosystems of the nominated area provides a contrast with the landscapes and features of Scotland’s existing two National Parks. In contrast to some other nominations the area of wild land and area classified as ‘very remote rural’ within the nominated area for Galloway (based on the supplementary analysis) is lower.
• The location of the nominated area in the South West of Scotland provides a geographic balance with the more northerly location of the two existing National Parks and includes more areas of a lowland character.
• The socio-economic context is an important consideration. The supplementary analysis highlights the relative disadvantage of the area in comparison with the Scottish average across a number of aspects including employment, income, education, health and access to services. The nomination sets out the potential role that a National Park could play in supporting communities’ social and economic development, for example through investment in natural capital, increased tourism, skills development and new employment opportunities. Although the panel noted that this role wasn’t something that National Parks were uniquely capable of addressing.
• The nomination sets out a long-term vision for increasing sustainable tourism over time, with National Park designation providing a stimulus for these alongside other initiatives. However, the Panel also noted that the assessment from VisitScotland officials on the Expert Appraisal Panel that National Park status would not in itself make a rapid impact on visitor numbers.
• There is a mix of land-use within the area (including extensive commercial forestry and agriculture, with some of the most productive dairy and forestry land in Scotland). There are already a range of organisations working within the area to support nature restoration, climate action and sustainable development, including the local authorities, South of Scotland Enterprise, the Galloway and Southern Ayrshire Biosphere and the South of Scotland Regional Land Use Partnership Pilot. The panel recognised that a National Park Authority could act to provide a coordination function related to these organisational layers but could also add an additional layer of organisational complexity. The role and added value of National Park designation and advice on the potential realignment of existing arrangements would be a key consideration during subsequent stages of the process.
• The efforts of the nominating group to engage with local communities and stakeholders during the nomination period was recognised and the evidence of local support provided within the nomination was considered important, although it was also recognised that this support was not universal and that local support for a new National Park in the area would be a key consideration for any reporter investigation. The confirmed support of the three local authorities within the area (Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire) was also noted.

Lochaber

The panel’s overall assessment was that the Lochaber nomination meets the majority of the criteria and could therefore be considered by Scottish Ministers as a potential candidate for designation as a new National Park, subject to the outcome of a detailed reporter investigation.

The panel wish to highlight the following in relation to Lochaber’s nomination:

• The nomination was judged to have provided extensive evidence of the area’s natural heritage, with almost 30% of the nominated area under at least one nature designation, including designations of international importance (Ramsar sites, SPAs and SACs). The area includes Scotland and the UK’s highest mountain and over 47% of the area is classed as a Wild Land Area. The nomination was also judged to have provided extensive evidence of the area’s potential for the protection and restoration of nature restoration, and engagement with local communities and stakeholders.
• The nomination was judged to have provided significant evidence of the area’s important cultural heritage, including in relation to the Gaelic language, culture and heritage. Significant evidence was also deemed to have been provided in relation to the potential for addressing visitor management pressures, enhancing public enjoyment and supporting sustainable tourism. The remainder of the criteria were judged to have been partially evidenced.
• The coastal landscape and ecosystems of the nominated area contrast with the landscapes and features of the existing National Parks. The panel noted that possible alternative boundaries were referred to in the Lochaber nomination and that different options could have potentially significant effects on the coherent identity of the proposal and the extent of coastal habitats within the proposed area.
• The nominated area is internationally renowned as a tourism destination and the nomination sets out how and why designation as a National Park could help to address current challenges in a coordinated way as well as longer term opportunities to support sustainable tourism and visitor management. The nomination also reflects the long history of debate around National Park status in Lochaber as a means of addressing the area’s needs, dating back to the 1947 Ramsay Committee which recommended Glen Coe, Ben Nevis and Black Mount as one of five prospective National Park areas.
• The efforts of the nominating group to engage with local communities and stakeholders during the nomination period was recognised. The nomination openly reflects a division in opinion between those supporting and those opposing National Park designation in the area, with recent consultations indicating that 48.7% of respondents were in favour of a National Park whereas 42.6% were opposed and 8.7% were unsure. The lack of opportunity, due to the challenging timeframes, for Highland Council’s appropriate Committee to debate and vote to support, or not to support, the nomination was also noted. As was the council’s lack of objection to the nomination progressing to the next stage of the assessment process.
• The panel also noted that Lochaber’s nomination is conditional upon further detailed consultation and a ballot of residents aged 16 and over to determine the level of support for a National Park in a more comprehensive way. Local support for a new National Park in the area would be a key consideration for any reporter investigation.

Loch Awe

The panel’s overall assessment was that the Loch Awe nomination does not sufficiently meet the appraisal criteria and therefore should not currently be considered for designation as a new National Park.

The panel wish to highlight the following in relation to the Loch Awe nomination:

• Overall, the nomination was considered to be relatively early in its development and maturity and that it lacked a strategic and coherent vision of the role that National Park designation could play in addressing the area’s opportunities and challenges.
• The nomination was judged to lack or provide minimal evidence of meeting the majority of the appraisal criteria, with the exception of cultural heritage and local engagement which were partly evidenced. It was felt that the nomination had understated the importance of the area’s natural heritage, since almost 30% of the area is under at least one nature designation including designations of international importance (SPAs and SACs). It was also considered that the nomination had understated the area’s internationally important cultural heritage.
• The nominated area has some geographic coherence (as it is centred on Loch Awe) but is a smaller geographic unit which excludes some of the communities in the wider area.
• The efforts of the nominating group to engage with local communities and stakeholders during the nomination period was recognised, however the nomination lacked sufficient information and evidence to determine the level of local support.

Scottish Borders

The panel’s overall assessment was that the Scottish Borders nomination does not sufficiently meet the appraisal criteria and therefore should not currently be considered for designation as a new National Park.

The panel wish to highlight the following in relation to the Borders nomination:

• The nomination was judged to have provided significant evidence of the area’s important cultural heritage; its potential for the protection and enhancement of cultural heritage; and engagement with local communities and stakeholders. All other criteria were judged to have been partially evidenced.
• In terms of the area’s natural heritage, less than 5% of the area is under at least one nature designation. The area includes designations of international importance (SPAs and SACs), however it was noted that relatively little of the Tweed SAC falls within the nominated area.
• The geographical location of the nominated area in the South of Scotland provides a balance with the more northerly location of the two existing National Parks.
• There are already a number of organisations working within the area to support nature restoration, climate action and sustainable development, including the local authority, South of Scotland Enterprise and the South of Scotland Regional Land Use Partnership Pilot. The role of a national park designation in addressing identified issues and realising opportunities in a coordinated way was less fully articulated in the nomination. It was not clear from the nomination how a National Park designation would add significantly to these existing initiatives to address the needs of the area.
• The evidence of local support that was put forward by the nominating is somewhat dated. The opposition to the nomination from Scottish Borders Council was also considered to be important.

Tay Forest

The panel’s overall assessment was that the Tay Forest nomination meets the majority of the criteria and could therefore be considered by Scottish Ministers as a potential candidate for designation as a new National Park, subject to the outcome of a detailed reporter investigation.

The panel wish to highlight the following in relation to Tay Forest’s nomination:

• The nomination was judged to have provided extensive evidence of the area’s natural heritage, with almost 19% of the nominated area under at least one nature designation, including designations of international importance (Ramsar sites, SPAs and SACs). Significant evidence was deemed to have been provided for most of the other criteria, with the exception of the potential to support economic and social development, the potential to support sustainable tourism and local support which were judged to have been partially evidenced.
• The shorter term benefits of National Park designation to support nature restoration, climate action and sustainable economic development are articulated within the nomination, however the longer term benefits are less clear in the nomination, and this would be a key consideration for any reporter investigation, alongside any implications for the adjacent National Parks.
• The geographical location of the nominated area creates opportunities for connectivity with the two existing National Parks. However, the opportunities and added value of a third National Park in close proximity to the existing two National Parks would be a key consideration for any reporter investigation.
• The local authority’s lead role and strong support for the nomination was noted. The efforts of the nominating group to engage with local communities and stakeholders during the nomination period was recognised. The nomination presents evidence of partial local support based on the engagement work that has been undertaken. Local support for a new National Park in the area would be a key consideration for any reporter investigation.