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National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000

Type Act of the Scottish Parliament

Publication 2000-08-09

State In force

Jurisdiction Scotland

Department Statute Law Database

Source legislation.gov.uk

Reform history JSON API

The National Park aims

1

In this Act, references to the National Park aims are to the following aims in relation to an area—

(a) to conserve and enhance the natural and cultural heritage of the area,

(b) to promote sustainable use of the natural resources of the area,

(c) to promote understanding and enjoyment (including enjoyment in the form of recreation) of the special qualities of the area by the public, and

(d) to promote sustainable economic and social development of the area’s communities.

National Park proposals

2

(1) The Scottish Ministers may, if it appears to them that the conditions in subsection (2) are or may be satisfied in relation to an area, propose—

(a) the designation of the area as a National Park, and

(b) the establishment of an authority (to be known as a “National Park authority”) to exercise, in relation to that Park, the functions conferred on the authority by virtue of this Act.

(2) Those 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.

(3) A proposal under subsection (1) must be in writing and must set out (in general terms)—

(a) the area which it is proposed should be designated as a National Park, and

(b) the functions which it is proposed the National Park authority should exercise.

(4) Such a proposal is referred to in this Act as a “National Park proposal”.

Reports on National Park proposals

3

(1) The Scottish Ministers may require—

(a) Scottish Natural Heritage, or

(b) any other public body appearing to them to have expertise relevant to the National Park aims,

to consider a National Park proposal and, after complying with subsection (5), to report to them, by such date as they may specify, on such of the matters set out in subsection (2) as the requirement may specify.

(2) Those matters are—

(a) the area which it is proposed should be designated as a National Park,

(b) the desirability of designating the area in question (with or without modifications) as a National Park,

(d) the likely annual costs and capital expenses of the authority in exercising its functions,

(e) such other matters relating to the proposal as the requirement may specify.

(3) Where the Scottish Ministers impose a requirement under subsection (1) they must send a copy of the National Park proposal to the person who is to provide the report (the “reporter”).

(4) A requirement under subsection (1) may be addressed to two or more persons and, if so—

(a) may impose different obligations on different persons,

(b) may contain provision modifying the application of subsection (5) in relation to those persons or any of them,

(5) The reporter must, on receipt of the National Park proposal—

(a) send a copy of it and of the requirement to every local authority any part of whose area is within the area to which the proposal relates,

(b) determine the period (which must be at least 12 weeks) for which the copy proposal and requirement are to be made available for public inspection under subsection (7) and notify every such authority of that period,

(d) consult—

(i) every such authority,

(ii) every community council any part of whose area is within the area to which the proposal relates,

(iii) such persons as appear to the reporter to be representative of the interests of those who live, work or carry on business in the area to which the proposal relates, and

(iv) such other persons as the reporter thinks fit,

on the proposal.

(6) The Scottish Ministers may give the reporter directions as to how the consultation under subsection (5)(d) is to be carried out; and the reporter must comply with those directions.

(7) A local authority receiving a copy proposal and requirement under subsection (5)(a) must make them available for public inspection for the period referred to in subsection (5)(b).

(8) In preparing a report under this section the reporter—

(a) must consider whether the conditions in section 2(2) are satisfied in relation to the area which it is proposed should be designated as a National Park,

(b) must have regard to the National Park aims,

(i) any views on the National Park proposal expressed by those consulted under subsection (5)(d), and

(ii) any comments on the proposal received within the period referred to in subsection (5)(b), and

(d) may have regard to such other matters as the reporter considers relevant including, in particular, administrative boundaries and geographical considerations.

(9) A report under this section—

(a) must include the views of the reporter on the matters specified in the requirement,

(b) may include such other matters as the reporter considers relevant.

(10) The Scottish Ministers must publish and lay before the Parliament a report made to them under this section.

Statements by the Scottish Ministers

4

(1) Where the Scottish Ministers do not require a report under section 3(1) in relation to a National Park proposal they must—

(a) comply with subsection (3) of this section, and

(b) prepare, publish and lay before the Parliament a statement on the proposal dealing with the matters specified in subsection (2) of this section.

(2) Those matters are—

(a) the area which it is proposed should be designated as a National Park,

(b) the desirability of designating the area in question (with or without modifications) as a National Park,

(d) the likely annual costs and capital expenses of the authority in exercising its functions,

(e) such other matters relating to the proposal as the Scottish Ministers think fit.

(3) Before preparing the statement the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) send a copy of the National Park proposal to every local authority any part of whose area is within the area to which the proposal relates,

(b) determine the period (which must be at least 12 weeks) for which the copy proposal is to be made available for public inspection under subsection (4) and notify every such authority of that period,

(d) consult—

(i) every such authority,

(ii) every community council any part of whose area is within the area to which the proposal relates,

(iii) such persons as appear to them to be representative of the interests of those who live, work or carry on business in the area to which the proposal relates, and

(iv) such other persons as they think fit,

on the proposal.

(4) A local authority receiving a copy proposal under subsection (3)(a) must make it available for public inspection for the period referred to in subsection (3)(b).

(5) In preparing the statement the Scottish Ministers—

(a) must consider whether the conditions in section 2(2) are satisfied in relation to the area which it is proposed should be designated as a National Park,

(b) must have regard to the National Park aims,

(i) any views on the National Park proposal expressed by those consulted under subsection (3)(d), and

(ii) any comments on the proposal received within the period referred to in subsection (3)(b), and

(d) may have regard to such other matters as they consider relevant including, in particular, administrative boundaries and geographical considerations.

Local inquiries

5

(1) After publication of a report under section 3 or, as the case may be, a statement under section 4 the Scottish Ministers may, if they think fit, cause a local inquiry to be held in relation to any matter arising from the National Park proposal or the report or statement.

(2) Subsections (2) to (8) of section 210 (local inquiries) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c.65) apply in relation to such an inquiry.

(3) The Scottish Ministers must publish and lay before the Parliament the report of the person appointed to hold such an inquiry.

Creation of National Parks

Making of designation orders

6

(1) Following the publication of—

(a) a report under section 3 or, as the case may be, a statement under section 4, and

(b) where an inquiry is held in pursuance of section 5, the report of the person appointed to hold the inquiry,

the Scottish Ministers may (but need not) make an order under this section (a “designation order”), either in terms of the National Park proposal or with such modifications as they think fit.

(2) In considering whether to make a designation order, and what the terms of any order should be, the Scottish Ministers must have regard to—

(a) the report or statement mentioned in subsection (1)(a), and

(b) any such report as is mentioned in subsection (1)(b).

(3) Before laying a draft of a designation order before the Parliament in pursuance of section 34(5), the Scottish Ministers must—

(a) send a copy of the proposed draft order to every local authority any part of whose area is within the area identified in the order for designation as a National Park (“the proposed National Park area”),

(b) determine the period (which must be at least 12 weeks) for which it is to be made available for public inspection under subsection (4) and notify every such local authority of that period,

(d) lay it before the Parliament, and

(e) consult—

(i) every such local authority,

(ii) every community council any part of whose area is within the proposed National Park area,

(iii) such persons as appear to them to be representative of the interests of those who live, work or carry on business in the proposed National Park area, and

(iv) such other persons as they think fit,

on the proposed draft order.

(4) A local authority receiving a copy of a proposed draft order under subsection (3)(a) must make it available for public inspection for the period referred to in subsection (3)(b).

(5) The Scottish Ministers must take into account—

(a) any views on the proposed draft order expressed by those consulted under subsection (3)(e), and

(b) any comments on it received within the period referred to in subsection (3)(b),

and may adjust it in light of such views and comments.

(6) When laying a draft of a designation order before the Parliament in pursuance of section 34(5), the Scottish Ministers must also lay a statement giving details of—

(a) the views and comments mentioned in subsection (5), and

(b) the changes (if any) which, in light of such views and comments, the Scottish Ministers have made to the proposed draft order.

Designation orders: further provisions

7

(1) A designation order must—

(a) designate as a National Park the area identified in the order,

(b) provide for the establishment of a National Park authority for the Park to exercise the functions conferred on the authority by virtue of this Act,

(c) specify the number of members of the authority and, in relation to the members to be appointed on the nomination of local authorities, the authorities which are to nominate them and the number of members to be nominated by each authority, and

(d) specify the matters mentioned in paragraph 3(2) and (5) of schedule 1.

(2) The order may identify the area to be designated by reference to a deposited map.

(3) In subsection (2), “deposited map” means a map prepared for the purposes of the order and laid before the Parliament.

(4) A designation order must provide for the functions exercisable by the National Park authority by virtue of the order to be so exercisable from such dates as the order may specify; and different dates may be specified for different functions or for different purposes.

(5) The Scottish Ministers must send a copy of the designation order and any deposited map to every local authority any part of whose area is within the area designated as a National Park; and every such local authority must keep the order and any such map available for public inspection.

National Park authorities: constitution etc

8

Schedule 1, which makes provision about the constitution etc. of National Park authorities, has effect.

Purpose and functions of National Park authorities

General purpose and functions

9

(1) The general purpose of a National Park authority is to ensure that the National Park aims are collectively achieved in relation to the National Park in a co-ordinated way.

(2) A National Park authority has, in relation to the National Park—

(a) the general powers conferred by virtue of schedule 2,

(b) the functions conferred by virtue of schedule 3,

(d) such additional functions as the designation order may specify, and

(e) such other functions as are conferred by virtue of this Act.

(3) A National Park authority may do anything which it considers is calculated to facilitate, or is conducive or incidental to—

(a) accomplishing the purpose set out in subsection (1),

(b) carrying out any function conferred on it by virtue of any other enactment.

(4) Subsection (3) is without prejudice to any powers exercisable apart from that subsection but does not confer power—

(a) to do anything in contravention of any restriction imposed by virtue of this Act in relation to any express power of the authority,

(b) to raise money in a manner which is not authorised apart from that subsection.

(5) A thing is not, however, excluded from being done under subsection (3) merely because it involves expenditure, borrowing or lending of money or acquiring or disposing of property.

(6) In exercising its functions a National Park authority must act with a view to accomplishing the purpose set out in subsection (1); but if, in relation to any matter, it appears to the authority that there is a conflict between the National Park aim set out in section 1(a) and other National Park aims, the authority must give greater weight to the aim set out in section 1(a).

Planning functions

10

(1) A designation order may make provision for a National Park authority—

(a) to be the planning authority for the National Park for the purposes of the planning Acts,

(b) to be treated as the planning authority for the National Park, but only for such purposes of Part II (development plans) of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 (c.8) as are specified in the order, or

(2) In this section, “the planning Acts” has the same meaning as in that Act of 1997.

National Park Plans

11

A National Park authority must, by such time as the Scottish Ministers may direct, prepare and submit to the Scottish Ministers a plan (a “National Park Plan”) setting out its policy for—

(a) managing the National Park, and

(b) co-ordinating the exercise of—

(i) the authority’s functions in relation to the National Park, and

(ii) the functions of other public bodies and office-holders so far as affecting the National Park,

with a view to accomplishing the purpose set out in section 9(1).

National Park Plans: procedure

12

(1) When a National Park authority has prepared a National Park Plan it must—

(a) send a copy of the Plan to every local authority any part of whose area is within the National Park,

(b) determine the period, which must be a minimum of 12 weeks, for which it is to be made available for public inspection under subsection (2) and notify every such local authority of that period,

(d) consult—

(i) every such local authority,

(ii) every community council any part of whose area is within the National Park,

(iii) such persons as appear to it to be representative of the interests of those who live, work or carry on business in the National Park, and

(iv) such other persons as it thinks fit,

on the Plan.

(2) A local authority receiving a copy Plan under subsection (1)(a) must make it available for public inspection for the period referred to in subsection (1)(b).

(3) The National Park authority must take into account—

(a) any views on the Plan expressed by those consulted under subsection (1)(d), and

(b) any comments on it received within the period referred to in subsection (1)(b),

and may adjust it in light of such views and comments.

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