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Last updated 14-Dec-2007

Vehicle Hill Tracks

NEMT are developing a project to assess and reduce the impact of Vehicle Hill Tracks on our landscape. We are looking for assistance to map the current extent of tracks. Read more about the project. If you would like to register an interest in helping, please let us know.

Dec 2005: Landowners accused of "scarring the environment" by bulldozing tracks through scenic glens.

Background information

Cairngorms National Park

MSPs have rejected a call to extend the Cairngorms National Park into Highland Perthshire. Holyrood's environment and rural development committee said it was rejecting a proposal by John Swinney (Cairngorms National Park Boundary Bill), to extend the park by 300sq miles (see map). MSPs said they had sympathy with his arguments but did not believe his member's bill was the right approach. (The Herald - 6/2/07 | Scotsman - 6/3/07).

Cairngorm homes plan rejected - Opposition to Pylons

David Green, the chairman of the Crofters Commission, is the new convener of the Cairngorms National Park Authority. He replaces Andrew Thin, who stood down on appointment to SNH.

Local Plan

The Cairngorms National Park Authority is developing a new Local Plan to cover the whole Cairngorms National Park. The Local Plan will influence how and where communities and settlements grow, where businesses develop, the types of housing that will be built, opportunities for recreation and how the landscapes and countryside of the Park will change over time. A Final Draft Plan will remain as a 'material consideration' in all planning matters within the National Park until it can be formally adopted by the National Park Authority during 2007, following adoption of the National Park Plan (see below). CNPA Planning pages

National Park Plan

The National Park Plan sets out how the Park is to be managed in an integrated and sustainable way. It is the key strategic management plan for the Park, replaces existing Structure Plans, and covers the conservation, enjoyment, understanding and long-term use of the Park and the people who live, work and visit it.

The Authority prepared a Draft Park Plan and consulted widely on it. They sought comments on any aspect of the draft, but particularly on what differences people expect to see in the long-term (25 years ahead) and in the short-term (5 years). NEMT's response is available online. The Plan was approved by the Scottish Executive on 15 March 2007 and will begin implementation immediately. The interim report on the consultation was produced in September. A revised Park Plan was submitted to the November 2006 CNPA Board meeting together with a revised vision and a revised structure for the National Park Plan.

The Local Plan (above) will deliver some of the Park Plan's objectives through the Park Authority's planning and development control role.

Local Outdoor Access Forum

The Cairngorms National Park Authority have appointed a Local Outdoor Access Forum with representatives from Land Managers, Communities, Users and Agencies. Among other activities they are preparing a Core Path Plan.

Cairngorm Estate

Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) is looking for a new owner for the Cairngorm Estate. HIE hope that the estate can continue to be managed in the public interest, with the new owner balancing the recreation and conservation priorities of its sensitive environment. A suggestion that Forestry Commission Scotland might take on the estate has attracted support from various organisations and local communities.

NEMT support the Cairngorms Campaign who state that the estate forms the buffer zone between major tourist developments of Aviemore / A9 corridor and the Central Cairngorms. We believe that the management of this key land unit is a core issue for the Cairngorms National Park to successfully meet its four basic functions. read more

Background: The Cairngorm Estate was bought by the Forestry Commission in 1923 as part of Glenmore Estate. In 1947 Glenmore Estate was designated Glenmore Forest Park, a measure that gave some emphasis to the conservation of wildlife and to the natural scenic beauty. In 1954 the environmental value of the wider area was formally recognised with the creation of the Cairngorm National Nature Reserve. The reserve did not include Glenmore Estate, which was seen to be sufficiently protected under Forestry Commission ownership.

Skiing facilities began to be developed in 1956 by a group of local landowners and business people, the Cairngorm Winter Sports Development Association. The road up from Glen More was built in 1960, and was followed by a range of chairlifts, tows, car parks and cafes. The area that is now Cairngorm Estate was earmarked for winter sports and transferred in 1971, to HIE's predecessor body, the Highlands & Islands Development Board. The ski facilities were developed over a third of the estate (598ha / 1500 acres) and managed under lease by The Cairngorm Chairlift Company. This became known as Cairngorm Mountain Limited in 2002 with the opening of a year-round funicular mountain railway.

Funicular Railway

Scottish Natural Heritage and The Highland Council have received a request to amend the visitor management arrangements. The specific changes being proposed are:

• To add the Windy Ridge footpath (An t –Aonach leading to Sron an Aonach) to the list of preferred paths in the Visitor Management Plan. The preferred paths are those that act as promoted primary walking routes within the operational ski area.
• To allow walkers who enter the Ptarmigan building the option to purchase a one-way ticket back down to the base station. Currently, walkers can enter the Ptarmigan building, but must leave the building to walk down to the car park. Only return tickets can be purchased at the bottom station providing the visitor follows the visitor management arrangements by not exiting the Ptarmigan station and returns to the bottom station via the funicular railway.

SNH consulted on the proposals up to August 2006. We await their decision.

Renewable Energy

An application to build a new 400kV overhead transmission line between Beauly and Denny has been submitted to the Scottish Executive. The proposed route of passes through the Cairngorms National Park. Objectors include the four local authorities through which the planned line would run - Highland, Perth and Kinross, Stirling and Falkirk councils - as well as Cairngorms National Park Authority. NEMT is supporting the Landscape Group in opposing this development at the Public Inquiry which is to run through 2007.

Pylon Pressure - Cairngorms Against Pylons - Highlands before Pylons

Western Isles Wind Farms and Transmission Line

Western Isles Council have approved Lewis Wind Power's £500 million project to build 181 turbines on Lewis. There has been opposition from local residents and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), who claim wildlife and the environment would be adversely affected. The decision now rests with the Scottish Executive.

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission Limited has published proposals for a new interconnector between the Western Isles and the mainland. The options include a subsea cable from Stornoway to Little Loch Broom and underground cabling to Beauly. This would connect Wind, Wave and Tidal power developments to the existing network. The consultation closed on 16 February 2007. Lewis Wind Power have indicated a preference for a subsea link to southwest Scotland.

Planning Reforms - Everyone Campaign

Your right to appeal planning decisions may be reduced rather than enhanced by government proposals to reform the planning system. see everyone campaign

An initiative from Scottish Environment Link

Native Woodland Survey

The first phase of the most comprehensive survey ever undertaken of Scotland's native woods and forests is under way ...more

News feed from The Scotsman