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The Scottish Government is committed to establishing at least one new National Park in the lifetime of this parliament, by spring 2026.
We'd love to hear your thoughts. Please Complete The Survey to let us know what you think.
It is nearly 20 years since the first two National Parks were created in Scotland. Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park was established in 2002 and Cairngorms National Park was established in 2003, following the approval of the National Parks (Scotland) Act in 2000.
A new National Park designation in Lochaber could be beneficial to the people, communities and the landscape of this area. The size and scope of any new national park is still to be determined, and several other areas in Scotland will be considered for the designation as well.
It is during the process that the size and boundary of any new national park will be decided in conjunction with the communities there. The aims and powers of the new national park will also be finalised in the process.
Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater said:
“Our National Parks do essential work to restore our natural environment, tackle the climate crisis, help manage facilities for visitors, promote responsible access and develop sustainable communities. That is why we are committed to establish at least one new National Park in Scotland by the end of this Parliamentary session in 2026.
NatureScot’s Chief Executive, Francesca Osowska said:
“Our ambition for a new National Park for Scotland is that it will drive the transformation needed to tackle the twin crises of biodiversity loss and climate change, helping to halt nature loss by 2030 and restore nature on a landscape scale by 2045.
National Park status helps to safeguard and enhance the special qualities of these two areas, balancing the needs of people, landscape and nature. The two existing park locations are some of the most heavily visited areas in the country. The park authorities help to co-ordinate work to benefit the area in the long-term, with local people being more involved in these decisions.
Alongside conserving and enhancing nature, Scotland’s National Parks also have aims to promote the sustainable use of the area’s natural resources; the public’s understanding and enjoyment of its special features; and the social and economic development of the communities who live there.
Lochaber is very special in terms of its landscape quality and scenery and a national park designation would give it additional protection from inappropriate and alien development like the awful Kingshouse Hotel. We would need to agree the powers of the National Park Authority. For example, would they be able to “call in” planning applications if they didn’t agree with the Lochaber Planners’ and South Committee’s decisions? To ensure democracy, there would need to be, say, two democratically elected councillors seconded to the National Park Authority. Ken Johnston, Fort William
ReplyDeleteA national park in Lochaber could kil, the goose that lays the goose that lays the golden egg . This is an area of incredible beauty ( apart from a couple of blemishes ) we struggle because of infrastructure to do a good job of looking after existing visitors any more would just be crazy , and the amount of returning visitors could decline .just look at Ambleside , Windermere etc
DeleteTell the LNP group to go forth and multiply
People would think a lot more of the individuals concerned in perpetuating yhrvfallacybtgst we need / deserve a national park if they just withdrew their support and got in with their jobs instead of sticking their noses where they shouldn’t . This is not a nanny state , we don’t need people with next to no knowledge of our heritage history or culture telling us what is good for us . Just withdraw and leave us to live our lives without interference
Delete'local people being more involved in these decisions' - this is the important bit but it tends to be minority interests who are most vocal... These projects must address depopulation and the chronic housing shortage. We can't allow the Highlands to be be a theme park for tourists in Goretex and wealthy retirees. Sustaining a community that can prosper is paramount.
ReplyDeleteThe whole survey process is fundamentally flawed as from its inception until December 18th individuals or groups could make multiple submissions bringing into question justifiably the accuracy and honesty of the survey . Lochaber National park members have admitted to this flaw and are demonstrating a bias toward s the park by allowing these submissions to go forward . The members of the Lochaber National Park group are ware of the results of the survey as they are able to quote percentages of figures for and against the park
ReplyDeleteThis is not a good idea, in any shape or form the ideas of a few are being forced on the majority as a result of a few online and a handful of ( badly attended) public meetings . A survey which is supposed to reflect our r feelings has been open to rigging from its inception , and more importantly votes whose origin a numbers are at best dubious are going forward .
ReplyDeleteA definite and emphatic no .
Little or no public consultation happened and those that did they were tickets only and certain people went. Very biased.
ReplyDeleteThose that are running the on line survey know that this is also flawed as it has multiple entries and no checks on e mails.
A complete farce from
Start to finish.
Tacking the climate crisis is more dependent on behaviours in cities, not rural areas. Rural areas don’t need saving by experts, they need local management by locally elected people.
ReplyDeleteThe council along with more active involvement from community councils, which have very local representation and local knowledge of issues, are more than adequate to manage local issues, if given adequate funding. Central government control through ‘experts’ is not needed. Only people who are elected locally on a regular basis should be able to manage an area.
Please stop this bid now - nobody is in favour of it !
DeleteThe two parks Scotland already has are awash with problems we don’t need another . For some reason a handful of people with their own agenda are pushing the idea of a Lochaber park forward acting like a sinister professor Higgins to Eliza Doolittle .
DeleteAlong with , going by social media , the vast majority of Lochaber peeople neither want or need this park .
In this day and age it is an obscenity any government of whatever persuasion could contemplate spending money on the scale need ed to get a Lochaber national park off the ground . Spend the money where it’s needed , roads , healthcare , education .stop this nonsense .
ReplyDeleteSeeing the shambles that is in scotlands other two parks I have no wish to have a park dumped on me by dubious methods by a bunch of dodgy individuals .
ReplyDeleteA resounding no to a park in Lochaber ., listen to us !
ReplyDeleteNational Parks in UK are too large, include too many large centres of population and have been hijacked by the "green agenda".
ReplyDeleteThe fact there has not been any interest in a new National Park in Scotland for over 20 years tells you that there is no appetite for a National Park amongst the people. We don't want an unelected Board telling us what we can and can't do in our communities or what is best for us or pushing their "green" agenda on us without local approval via the elctoral system (something that was actually denied the people of Caol and Mallaig in the lat council elections when a Green councillor was "appointed" not elected).
For 70 years the Lake District National Park has been promising to ease Housing, improve infrastructure and create local jobs but there is still a lack of affordable housing for locals (it's got worse as second home buyers have forced the prices up even higher), still poor infrastructure and still a lack of decent jobs for local people. And we are suposed to believe a NP in Lochaber will solve those problems here?
The answer to your question "do we want a National Park for Lochaber?" is a resounding NO
Lochaber does not want or need a national park. You just have to look at the other two in Scotland and they are not a success in fact there is a rise of locals Crofter’s and farmers who are fed up of all the behind closed doors hush hush decisions being made with no consultation with them or any locals.
ReplyDeleteThis is not a difficult concept to grasp - we don’t want a national park ! This is demonstrated by hundreds of posts on social media and by lack of support for the steering group - they didn’t even have enough confidence to inject £2000 themselves - they got money from local council - of which one of the steering group is a member
ReplyDeleteNo means no ., ! Not maybe , perhsps , if , it’s a No!
ReplyDeleteNo means no listen to public opinion it means we gone won’t a park
ReplyDeletePlease listen to us. We DO NOT want a national park. You have NOT consulted the local residents of the area involved. If you had you would have found our that we are NOT interested.
ReplyDeleteNo to this scheme. Waste of taxpayer money.
ReplyDeleteA definite no from me. There are far more beneficial projects within Lochaber that require funding, the new Belford Hospital being the main one. No money for this but money for a National Park that no one wants, it is a disgrace. Tourism has its place already within Lochaber and to get the infrastructure and funds that are needed for the vast amount of visitors we already receive there should be a visitor tax, and not tax payers money that funds toilet blocks, car parks, wardens to clear up all the tourist rubbish etc. You just have to look at what recent years have been like for those living in Glenfinnan to realise what would happen.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a no leave our land alone listen to the folk that live here
ReplyDeleteThe committee pushing the National Park bid should be more interested in improving the area for the people who live and work here. We need improvements to our roads and housing for starters.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely no national park.this proposal so far is flawed in its approach and demonstrates how dangerous it is to let a few people have power to speak for all.I am appauled at the cheek of this. even elected council members using public money in this fashion.There are no words.
ReplyDeleteJust listen to the people , what they are saying loudly is we don’t want or need a park here ,
ReplyDeleteJust look at the Cairngorm NP and the Loch Lomond NP - both disasters as the locals to these areas will tell you with broken promises etc - why would Lochaber be any different ??
ReplyDeleteThe group of people pushing for it have their own agenda and not doing it for the good of the Lochaber people who after all are the most important people - Firm NO !!
Judging by the other national parks this is definitely not something we want.
ReplyDeleteIt is an absolute no from me. I do not want Lochaber to be a National Park. Time to listen!
ReplyDeleteIt's unfortunate that such a minority are being so vocal in opposition to the national park. They seem to think that everyone in Lochaber doesn't want a national park, which is a lie. I've lived here for years, and am strongly in favour of National Park status. Our countryside gets hammered every summer with the influx of tourists. We need better resources to deal with this. No mechanism is in place to tackle this at the moment (the Highland Council are considering cutting their Ranger services again at the moment, and the government funding we've enjoyed for summer seasonal rangers looks like it won't be available again next year). By all means, please do object and voice your concerns- that's how democracy works. But don't lie and say that no one local wants this.
ReplyDeleteMinority... are you having a laugh?... i think the pro np are most definitely the minority. Open your eyes and ears! :) thousands of opposition comments from hundreds of locals who do not want a national park!
DeleteJohn Muir, the grandfather of conservation, set up the National Parks in USA to conserve and protect WILDERNESS areas. Not forestry land, not farmland, nor people's homes.
ReplyDeleteThe UK failed to do it right in 1952 with the Lake District NP and has continued to fail to this very day. National Parks should not include areas of human activity likes towns, villages and agricultural lands.
So on those grounds it is a NO for any future National Park in Lochaber or elsewhere
absolutely NO to a park in lochaber! as a resident I cannot see any benefits of a park, and talking with others who now live in a np they sound miserable and it has made things worse for them! you need to LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE OF LOCHABER...WE DO NOT WANT A NP!
ReplyDeleteI think the idea of a national park should ensure ALL locals are consulted and if need be proper voting occur on the subject
ReplyDeleteI've seen enough evidence in other national parks to suggest that more thought and consultation is needed across many sectors . Indeed for such an idea to be considered surely Scottish government need to ensure all constituents locally and nationally hear a proper debate on pros and cons as the so called survey seems heavily biased to assuming a positive impact
Lochaber needs employment which is permanent and not reliant on seasonal trends it needs a better infrastructure a way to attract businesses and affordable housing above all it needs fair and equitable access to health and social care services not least a trauma unit
Basics such as ensuring those travelling to the area can easily access charging points and fuel at the same costs as elsewhere to ensure parity is also needed
If this is addressed then can we talk national parks which in my opinion is not a priority for the area
Not a chance I want a national park here. Fix the roads, get the hospital and support local infrastructure first
ReplyDelete