Should the Loch Awe National Park bid include Inveraray and Lochgilphead?

Views are being sought on whether a bid to make Loch Awe a national park should include Oban, Lochgilphead and Inveraray, writes Rita Campbell.

During the consultation process, it was revealed that the bid could include these areas. And as a result, the National Farmer’s Union Scotland is asking people to fill in an online survey on the matter.

A consultation is currently under way on the creation of Scotland’s first new national park in almost 20 years.

The Scottish Government committed to establish at least one new national park by the end of this parliamentary session in 2026.

Therefore, the public consultation is looking at what people value about Scottish national parks, and what these areas should deliver in future.

Bids to create national parks in Lochaber and Loch Awe have been submitted to the Scottish Government.

Last month six other communities in the Highlands and

Islands withdrew from the bidding process.

In the Highlands, people who were in favour of their areas receiving national park status cited the potential for environmental protection and visitor management.

Those voting no largely cited the impact on farmers and crofters, and the potential for increasing visitor and property prices.

The bid for the Loch Awe National Park is pushing ahead. Organiser Niall MacLeod said: “There were fantastic consultations, really informative.

“Oban may have to be included with that amount of positive support from the town. Is it now Oban and Loch numbers

Awe National Park? Perhaps, it is all to play for.”

As a result, Lauren Worrell, NFU Scotland regional manager for Argyll and the Islands, is asking for views on the Loch Awe bid.

She said: “We are trying to capture views of all about the Loch Awe National Park bid since it is in The Oban Times that it ‘may’ extend to include Oban and at drop in meetings it was mentioned it could also extend to Inveraray and/or Lochgilphead and down to the coast.

“We are encouraging all residents in the above area to complete the survey regardless of their views to capture data.”

The survey can be found on Inveraray Community Council Facebook page, or https://www.surveymonkey. com/r/lochawe.

The NFU is opposed to the creation of national parks, based on the experience of farmers and crofters who live and work in the Cairngorms or Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Parks.

‘We are trying to capture views of all about the Loch Awe National Park bid since it ‘may’ extend...’