Holyrood opens consultation on Pentland border change

A Scottish Parliament committee has opened consultation on a bill to extend the boundaries of the Pentland Hills Regional Park.

The Pentland Hills Regional Park Boundary Bill, introduced by Christine Grahame MSP, would extend the park boundaries to ensure that all of the Pentland Hills range is protected and maintained to the same standards.

The existing park boundaries include roughly half of the Pentland Hills range.

The Pentland Hills Regional Park Boundary Bill Committee is now examining what impact the change would have in practice.

It is asking stakeholders to lay out the benefits and disadvantages to extending the boundary, the source of funding to support the change, and whether existing governance arrangements would need to be changed.

Committee convener James Dornan MSP said: “The Pentland Hills are used by thousands of people as a place to enjoy some of the best of the Scottish countryside.

“The bill proposes extending the current regional park to cover most of the Pentland Hills range. It is a range which extends more than 20 miles and not only provides a stunning place to visit, but is also a place where many people live and work.

“Our committee wants to find out what the impact of extending the boundary of the park would be. We want to hear first-hand the benefits and disadvantages of the proposals before us. Only by doing this can we be sure the bill can really make the difference it hopes.”

The closing date for consultation response submissions is 6pm on Friday 28 September.

You can find out more information in the consultation document.