Inside the ‘bitter’ battle against UK’s first new national park in years

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1. Galloway can reasonably claim to be Britain’s best kept secret: a stunning part of [rural south-west Scotland overlooked by tourists](https://inews.co.uk/news/live-beautiful-scottish-village-instagram-tourists-ruining-3300925?ico=in-line_link).

   A plan to turn the area into the UK’s next national park would end its obscurity. Advocates hope the scheme will encourage more visitors to experience its [deep forest, rolling hills and untouched coastline](https://inews.co.uk/inews-lifestyle/travel/live-scotland-favourite-places-away-tourist-crowds-3238332?ico=in-line_link).

   But a vocal group of Galloway residents, farmers and landowners are dead against the idea – convinced [it will backfire and ruin the region’s unspoiled beauty](https://inews.co.uk/news/environment/uk-europe-national-parks-terrible-leading-conservationist-2324846?ico=in-line_link).

   The battle has turned increasingly bitter in recent months, with those campaigning against it accusing those in favour of “dirty tricks” such as removing their banners. Such is the division, there are even calls for a local referendum.

   For now, the Scottish Government is pushing ahead. Ministers promised a new national park by 2026 as a way to boost the rural economy and protect the nation’s natural heritage.

   SNP ministers selected Galloway in July after the Galloway National Park Association (GNPA) – a charity made up of conservationists, tourism operators and some landowners – successfully made their case.

   But neither the politicians at Holyrood nor the local campaigners were prepared for the ferocity of the backlash. The public consultation, which ends next month, is not going according to plan.

   Denise Brownlee, 64, and her neighbour Liz Hitschmann, 74, have set up a No Galloway National Park campaign – although they claim their “No” banners were taken down in three different places, accusing national park supporters of “dirty tricks”.

   The pair, residents of the village Gatehouse of Fleet, have organised a series of protests and public meetings in recent months.

2. I live here and voted for it. In my view it’s nimbys and farmers who are voting against, the area is desperate for inward investment and tourists. It’s never going to be there Lake District but people think it is because they’re so close to the Lakes, probably never been to Northumberland National park which is hardly over run

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