In current session with members, responses indicated that current parks had did not make a constructive contribution to farming and crofting. Particularly, most members felt that the creation of recent parks:
• Will enhance paperwork and stifle development, innovation and growth.
• Will end in a rise in access-related points. Elevated customer numbers might additionally value out the native inhabitants from accessing lodging.
• Convey no further advantages over and above current insurance policies and laws.
• Prioritise tourism and customer entry over native farming and crofting companies. This might be of detriment to the agricultural economic system, in addition to the pure atmosphere.
• Go towards the precept of a simply transition: there will probably be winners and losers as to who receives funding. That is inequitable.
NFUS is looking for unbiased proof of the worth that current parks convey to farmers, crofters and the area people and a equally strong case why the nationwide park outcomes can’t be achieved by different current funding programmes comparable to VisitScotland and regional enterprise our bodies.
The nomination course of for brand new nationwide parks is inflicting grave concern and confusion for members with reference to what it means for them and their space, as highlighted by a number of protests in current and proposed park areas.
Farming and meals manufacturing are the core of Scotland’s rural economic system and are the important thing drivers of the area people and panorama administration that attracts in different alternatives. This should be a significant consideration when assessing nominations for brand new parks.
Significant involvement of the area people at every stage within the nomination course of is vital however that’s not being delivered by most of the proposed bids. Suggestions from members in current nationwide parks is that there has not been sufficient deal with native views and the place neighborhood involvement was current, it was tokenistic. That should not occur this time spherical.
Wider neighborhood views should be thought of and never simply the views of the nomination group being offered when bids go in for the creation of recent parks. That is essential to keep away from polarised views inside a neighborhood resulting in teams feeling disenfranchised and {that a} nationwide park is being imposed on them.
We’re involved that there isn’t a element on how any new nationwide park is to be funded. We’re additionally involved that at a time when public sources are beneath pressure – for instance, within the well being service, schooling, ferry provision, highway infrastructure and social care – a brand new nationwide park will not be a precedence for the general public. We need to see important providers being delivered, slightly than a brand new nationwide park, which isn’t seen as important on this present financial local weather. We might a lot slightly see proposals which are cost-effective and the place the advantages might be shared throughout the nation.
Within the regarding absence of any element on how new nationwide parks are to be funded within the face of the present nationwide fiscal pressures, and the potential that one other layer of complexity and paperwork will probably be laid on farmers and crofters, we consider the means to attain the outcomes being sought are already in place and the creation of recent parks is unjustifiable.
Alasdair Macnab is NFU Scotland Vice President
