5.This section sets out the criteria for considering an area for National Park status.
6.Subsection (1)allows the Scottish Ministers to propose an area for designation as a National Park, with a corresponding National Park authority to exercise certain functions if it appears to them that all the conditions in subsection (2) are met. Such a proposal is referred to in the Act as a “National Park proposal” (subsection (4)).
7.Subsection (3)requires a proposal made by Ministers under subsection (1) to be in writing, specifying the general area of the Park and the functions which the National Park authority should exercise. The area can only be in general terms at this stage, since the whole purpose of the process set out in the following sections is to provide for a process of consultation to inform the decision of the Scottish Ministers on matters such as park boundaries.