Last year, we explored the future of the Highlands and Islands. This year, we've extended that mission to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Torness. Now, our attention turns to a corner of Scotland that demands to be remembered: Dumfries and Galloway.
Starting on Monday, The Herald launches a major investigative series that will delve into the very heart of the region, championing its people while confronting the defining issues of its present day.
Look at any postcard of Dumfries and Galloway and you’ll see rolling hills, pristine coastlines, and tranquil forests. But look closer, and you’ll see a region at a crossroads, grappling with issues that will define its future for generations to come.
We begin with a question: is Dumfries and Galloway the forgotten part of Scotland? The area faces a depopulation ‘curse’, and road infrastructure and transport links are in need of pressing upgrades.
We investigate the shocking reality of housing in the region. How many are on the hidden homeless register? Why are young families forced to leave the area they love simply to find a roof they can afford?
Subscribe to The Herald to read the whole series.
The series will also look at the critical state of its health services. Why are expectant mothers facing anxious journeys for maternity care? We’ll explore the fight for local, accessible services and lift the lid on the silent struggle with mental health provision, asking if the community is getting the support it needs.
The land beneath our feet is its own battleground. We’ll dissect the tensions between green energy and green fields – the clash between the march of wind farms, the future of vital dairy farms, and the expansion of commercial forestry. Can economic progress and environmental preservation truly live side by side in the area?
Next week, we're giving Dumfries and Galloway the spotlight it deserves. We'll meet the people who call it home, listen to their challenges, and seek out the solutions. We're examining everything – from travel and housing to health. Join us as we ask: How can we secure a thriving future for Dumfries and Galloway?
Share