Dumfries and Galloway Council Backs Call for Referendum on Proposed Galloway National Park

Local councillors have endorsed a proposal for a public vote concerning the establishment of Scotland’s third national park within the Galloway region. The motion passed with 24 votes in favour, 13 against, and two abstentions, despite the Scottish government having previously dismissed the possibility of a local referendum. Prior to the council’s vote, opponents of the plans organized a demonstration outside the council headquarters in Dumfries. These critics contend that a national park designation could lead to increased house prices and strain the transport infrastructure, while proponents argue it would enhance the region’s profile and stimulate tourism. Galloway has been identified as the preferred site for a new Scottish national park, with a public consultation process currently underway regarding its creation. A motion introduced by councillor Dougie Campbell to the Dumfries and Galloway Council, advocating for a referendum, received the local authority’s support. The motion stated that there were “competing arguments for and against this designation” which had “divided opinion”. The motion further proposed that the Scottish government should organize and fund a referendum once the consultation process concludes. Nevertheless, Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon has already dismissed this suggestion. Earlier this year, the council had previously expressed its support for the national park proposal. Tammie Kirk, one of the protesters present outside the council building, articulated that many individuals believe the current consultation does not adequately allow people to voice their opinions, suggesting a referendum would offer a more equitable process. She stated, “When I first heard about this, if I am very honest, my instinct was to want to support it,” adding, “I went to one of the Galloway National Park Association (GNPA) meetings in Kirkcudbright much earlier in the year and they made it sound like this fantastic thing and I thought wow this could be great.” However, following her own investigation, she remarked that the actual situation felt “very, very different.” She explained, “House prices definitely escalate a lot, average wages don’t increase in comparison so what happens is local people get priced out.” She continued, “Businesses then start struggling to get staff because people can’t afford to live where they are working.” Kirk concluded, “For me, although there may be some benefits to becoming a national park, if it prices local people out of the area any benefits become irrelevant because it destroys the community.” Rob Lucas, who serves as chair of the GNPA, expressed his view that a referendum is unnecessary. He commented, “I think it seems a strange thing to be asking for while we are in the middle of a consultation which has gone out to 52,000 households.” He further noted, “The first question in that consultation is would you like a national park – which seems a bit like the referendum question.” Lucas stated that the association does not consider the attainment of national park status to be a certainty, contrary to what some opponents imply. He affirmed, “It is far from a done deal – there is a lot of work to do,” adding, “I am pretty certain that this will be a very open and transparent process.” He conveyed his frustration regarding the occasional intensity of the debate but also highlighted that the designation could yield substantial advantages. During a visit to Dumfries and Galloway to address concerns regarding the A75, First Minister John Swinney affirmed that his government intends to consider all perspectives of the discussion before making a conclusive decision. He stated, “There’s a consultation under way which will conclude in February.” He urged, “I would simply say to people in Galloway, make your voices heard.” Swinney emphasized, “I lead a listening government.” He concluded, “We just need to hear from people in Galloway. Let’s hear it all and the government will weigh that up and come to its conclusions.”