Scottish politicians have rejected an attempt to enlarge the Cairngorms National Park.

MSPs narrowly defeated the proposal by North Tayside Scottish National Party MSP John Swinney, to have the park area extended to include an extra 300 sq miles.

The Bill, before the Scottish Parliament’s environmental and rural development committee was defeated by five votes to four. Labour and the Liberal Democrats voted against the enlargement, which would have cost an extra £150,000 a year, according to deputy environment minister Sarah Boyack.

The new area would have included Beinn Udlamain, the Beinn A’Ghlo range and the Forest of Atholl.

The committee was told that the Executive will meet next year to review the park’s operation and that the correct course of action was to wait until that review to look at its boundaries. The proposal had the support of many local residents and businesses.