National parks in Scotland are good for people as well as nature

There is, in contrast to what is being claimed, no additional layer of "red tape" in national parks: they are subject to the same planning system as everywhere else and enjoy the same system of agricultural support as everywhere else.

The only differences for national parks is that there is a presumption against large-scale wind farms, and small differences in permitted development rights - which concern the size of barn that farmers can build without planning permission.

Indeed, most people are surprised that there aren't additional restrictions on activities in national parks to reflect their special status. Organisations such as ourselves may believe that they should have more powers to protect and enhance the special assets they are designated for, but this cannot be made as an argument against national parks.

Funding has also been raised as an issue, but the Government has said that it will core fund at least one new national park by 2026. The convening power of national parks levers in additional money, bringing together partners to lead on large bids that have brought money for large-scale conservation work, innovation in land management and tourism and business infrastructure.

And it is important to remember that inviting nominations from communities is just the first stage, and is additional to the statutory process. This requires that there will now be an in-depth consultation with communities, public bodies, businesses, land managers and other stakeholders. Other countries are looking with interest at what comes of this grass-roots-first approach. We think it has the potential to be very positive, especially if backed up with ongoing support for communities and a longer-term plan for further national parks and with other options such as regional parks and national scenic areas where these are more appropriate.

Scotland has some of the richest and most varied natural and cultural landscapes in the world and is, rightly, world famous for them. Of the 15 national parks in the UK, Scotland has only two. As organisations which have been campaigning for new national parks for Scotland since 2013, we hope that this conversation, started in communities, can lead to recognition and better care for more of Scotland’s special and unique landscapes.

Dr Kat Jones, Director, Action to Protect Rural Scotland; John Thomson, Chair, Scottish Campaign for National Parks, Edinburgh.

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As an engineer, who deserves my vote?

AS a pensioner running a diesel car and a gas boiler I wonder who deserves my vote at upcoming elections. My car, a prestige model, was purchased at five years old with some 15,000 miles on it at approximately one-third off new current list price. It is now eight years old and 40,000 miles with many years of life left. The saving to go electric is projected at £80/1,000 miles, thus for me a saving of possibly under £700 per annum. The premium for an electric vehicle is £5,000 to £15,000 with a probable £1,000 to install a home charger. Without the benefit of company car tax rates, at my age it makes no sense to consider this.

I am not a complete eco-dinosaur and did invest pension capital in a 5.5 kw solar system with 2kw battery storage in a 1200 square feet two-storey house built in 2016. This generates a return of some 90% of annual electricity used. The capital expenditure should be cleared in under eight years, leaving an annual energy (mainly gas) cost of less than £1,000 per annum.

Being a civil engineer with some 46 years in the building industry before retirement it is impossible for me to consider the replacement of an A-rated gas boiler by an air source heat pump. The cost of replacement for pipe and radiator upgrade would be anything between £5,000 and £20,000 to leave me with a "noise" in the garden. Who in the west of Scotland would ever consider that air was a suitable source to capture/generate heat?

We currently have 23 million gas boilers in Britain with a replacement of 40,000 heat pumps last year, though government proposals to up this to 600,000 per annum by 2028 will mean by the mid-2060s gas boilers will be all replaced. My pension projections don't go that far.

Where all political parties seem to be lacking in any engineering or technical skills but wish to spend my money on their own agendas should it be "a wasted vote", "a protest vote"," or just a no vote" ?

Brian A Walker, Irvine.

Are air source heat pumps a viable option? (Image: Andrew Aitchison)

High-speed drama at the cinema

RECENT articles about efforts to rejuvenate old cinemas reminded me of the last few years in the life of the George Cinema in Beith.

The programme usually stated the big picture would finish at 10.20pm. This was a problem for the projectionist (by then also the manager) who lived in Saltcoats and the last bus to Ardrossan passed the cinema at 10.10pm.

So where appropriate, the film was "jumped on". For example, the hero would arrive at the foot of a long winding staircase and next thing, was at the top. What looked like the start of a promising extended fistfight would invariably show the loser lying prostrate in the next frame. A couple going for a swim would be seen approaching the river bank, then immediately towelling themselves off. The credits were simply abandoned, culminating with a few opening bars of the National Anthem. As we trooped downstairs, our man was waiting at the doors, padlock and chain in hands to bid us a cheery "Goodnight".

And as we all crossed the road to where we'd parked the cars, in the distance we'd see the Western SMT bus heading for the bus stop to pick up its solitary passenger.

John Crawford, Preston.