National park will givebig boost
A new Galloway National Park would benefit Ayrshire communities, if plans were approved.
The Galloway National Park Association (GNPA) is calling for voters, candidates and councils to give their support to the park proposals, which would include towns and villages in East and South Ayrshire Council areas, including parts of Doon Valley, Girvan & South Carrick and Maybole, and North Carrick & Colyton.
Every party in the Scottish Parliament now supports the creation of new National Parks in Scotland, with the Green/SNP administration promising to deliver at least one by the end of its term.
Rob Lucas, chairman of the Galloway National Park Association (GNPA), said “south-west Scotland should be the home” to the next National Park.
He said: “With local elections taking place in May this is an issue where voters, candidates and councils can make a genuine difference and get a big win for Ayrshire.
“We firmly believe that there are parts of Ayrshire that would be ideally suited to be part of the park.
“The rest of Ayrshire would also benefit as the people of Ayr, Irvine, Kilmarnock and every other community, have easy access to all the leisure, sporting and recreational activities a National Park provides.”
Benefits the park would bring include; generating sustainable tourism, creating business opportunities and jobs, improving health and wellbeing and combatting climate change and enhancing environmental protection.