A group protesting against plans to create a national park in Lochaber is repeating its call for the Scottish Government to scrap the idea, labelling the plan a ‘vanity project’ of the recently ousted Scottish Green Party.
Lochaber National Park No More (LNPNM) renewed its ‘Hands off our Highlands’ request after the Bute House Agreement - through which the Greens shared power with the SNP - was annulled on April 25.
Amongst the policies set out in the agreement was the identification of a new national park in Scotland by 2026, with Lochaber one of five areas to have bid for the status.
Arguing that a Lochaber National Park would sideline local community interests, and that potential benefits could be delivered more cheaply by local organisations, LNPNM has been heavily critical of both Lochaber’s bid and recently removed Biodiversity Minister Lorna Slater.
The group has claimed that Ms Slater refused to meet opponents of the park bid face-to-face during a recent visit to the area - a claim disputed by the Lochaber National Park Working Group (LNPWG) - and has described a survey conducted by LNPWG, which showed support for the proposal, as ‘corrupted’ and ‘flawed’.
Speaking of the Lochaber bid, Deborah Carmichael, LNPNM campaign leader, said: “There is just so much wrong with the suggestion that Lochaber becomes a national park, and we believe the consultancy process has already been corrupted.
“It was positively biased to produce the result they wanted, it was open to multiple submissions by the same person, and then supporters could submit more responses using dummy email addresses.
“The survey was tainted and untrustworthy and should not have been used as evidence of support to proceed with this nomination.
“It’s a great pity the survey is now not visible as everyone could see how biased it was in favour of producing a favourable result for the Lochaber National Park Working Group.
“If another region wants a national park that’s fine, but we need to make sure the SNP Government understands we want them to get their hands off our Highlands.”
A LNPNM meeting last week was attended by Lochaber’s largest farmer, Donald Houston, Arisaig mussel farmer Ian McKinnon, and crofter and entrepreneur Ruaridh Ormiston.
SNP MP Fergus Ewing, Highland councillor Angus MacDonald and National Farmers Union Scotland Vice President Alasdair Macnab attended via video link.
Michael Pescod, who helped establish the working group, has said that LNPWG is not trying to push through the proposal and is trying to listen to all sides. He has also acknowledged that the government’s system to gauge local opinion hasn’t worked well, but notes some criticism of working group members has got personal.
The Scottish Government is scheduled to discuss National Parks on the afternoon of Wednesday May 1 when Green MSP Ariane Burgess brings forward a motion welcoming the bids.
As well as Lochaber, Tay Forest, Loch Awe, Galloway and the Borders have submitted bids for National Park status.
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