Question reference: S6W-05468
- Asked by: Paul McLennan, MSP for East Lothian, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 5 January 2022
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Current status: Answered by Lorna Slater on 31 January 2022
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide details of what is meant by "relevant legal conditions" in relation to the designation of new national parks, as referred to in its shared policy programme with the Scottish Green Party.
Answer
The National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000 defines the conditions which the Scottish Ministers must be satisfied or may be satisfied before an area may be proposed for designation as a National park. Under Section 2(2) of the Act the Conditions are:
a. that the area is of outstanding national importance because of its natural heritage or the combination of its natural and cultural heritage,
b. that the area has a distinctive character and a coherent identity, and
c. that designating the area as a National Park would meet the special needs of the area and would be the best means of ensuring that the National Park aims are collectively achieved in relation to the area in a co-ordinated way.