A minister who met campaigners for a Lochaber National Park in Fort William has promised more local consultation on the controversial bid - as opponents accused her of snubbing them on the "secret" visit.
Last month, the Scottish Borders, Galloway, Lochaber, Loch Awe and Tay Forest were announced as five potential locations, nominated on behalf of their communities, to be considered for Scotland’s next new national park. The Scottish Government has committed to creating at least one new park by 2026. A decision is due on the proposed location(s) in the summer.
The Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lothian MSP Lorna Slater (Green), has now visited all five areas, including Lochaber, to hear first-hand from those who led the nominations about the opportunities and benefits that national park designation could bring.
Last week Ms Slater met community members and stakeholders at Glen Nevis, Glencoe, Glenfinnan, Loch Awe Community Hydro, Glen Nant Nature Reserve, Loch Tromlee, Dalavich and the Lochaber National Park Working Group in Fort William on Wednesday April 10.
Mike Pescod, chairman of Nevis Landscape Partnership, said: “During her visit, Ms Slater heard about the massive visitor pressures in hotspot areas of Lochaber including The Road to the Isles, Glen Nevis and Glen Coe and spoke directly with members of the community in Glenfinnan.
"She said the need for strategic management of visitors to help local communities and reduce visitor and environmental impacts was very clear. She also visited the Ben Nevis Visitor Centre which remained closed over the winter and the Easter weekend. Ms Slater understands that housing is the biggest challenge facing all sectors and industries, including staffing of organisations that can address visitor impacts.”
But those against a Lochaber National Park claim they were not aware of the in-person meeting with pro-park campaigners, which they said had been kept "under the radar".
Members of the pressure group “Lochaber National Park – NO more” said they found out about Ms Slater’s visit to Fort William during an online discussion with her the previous week.
Debbie Carmichael, a campaigner, said they requested a face-to-face discussion in Fort William as it was “not fair or correct” for her to meet only one side of the debate, but their request was ignored.
Ms Carmichael said the group was “very disappointed in minister Lorna Slater for snubbing the locals of Lochaber and not providing a public forum for her secret visit here to enable local residents to have their say in the bid and put forward their thoughts for their area.
“Lochaber does not belong to six or seven individuals, it belongs to the people of Lochaber. Despite requests to minister Lorna Slater’s office, she has not responded to us about when her visit to Fort William was or that she would meet with us. Understandably, that has left Lochaber residents feeling snubbed and upset and that the visit has been sneaked under the radar”.
Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Angus MacDonald (Lib Dem) was also left in the dark, adding: "It used to be protocol that when government ministers came to town, ward councillors were informed of the schedule. We had a councillors’ meeting in the Fort yesterday. We were not informed."
A statement shared by the Greens’ councillor for Fort William and Ardnamurchan Kate Willis said the minister met representatives of the Lochaber No More group to hear their views and concerns. "The No More group has asked for the Lochaber nomination to be withdrawn," it said. "She also met with the National Farmers Union of Scotland which is opposed to new National Parks."
Ms Carmichael countered: "It was a short zoom call where she basically didn’t respond to any of our concerns and we specifically requested to meet with her while she was in Fort William. She sneaked here, met with her Green councillor/Lochaber National Park Working Group, in then out, and only wanted to paint a nice rosy picture. Hope she saw the ’No National Park’ banner up Glen Nevis."
The minister pledged "extensive" public consultation to test the proposal further, saying: "The Scottish Government is clear that any new national park in Scotland should meet the needs of the local area. It is vital local people are given the chance to have their say on the new park’s boundary, role and functions, so the new park delivers for people living and working in the area.”
Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Kate Willis (Green) added: “The Lochaber nomination was submitted on condition that a vote or ballot takes place to properly determine the level of local support after a more detailed plan has been developed in consultation with local communities during the reporter stage.
"The National Park Working Group feel it is essential that everyone in Lochaber is given the opportunity to voice their opinions, based on factual information, about the creation of a new National Park. The delivery of an independently led and extensive public consultation during the reporter stage will allow this to happen.
"If this is prevented from happening, local people will not have the chance to learn the facts about this opportunity, contribute to the plan and decide for themselves whether a national park will be good for the area.”
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