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Last updated 12-Jul-2008

Cairngorms National Park Expansion

March 2008: Mike Russell, Environment Minister has announced that the Cairngorms National Park boundaries are to be extended. The park will to take in Blair Atholl and parts of Perthshire. Mr Russell said the decision followed campaigning by the local communities.

The running of Scotland's National Parks is also to be reviewed. The review will focus on whether the two parks are being run as efficiently as possible, as well as planning issues and possible future boundary changes.

BBC News

Cairngorm Railway 'scandal'

The Sunday Herald reports that many of the facilities at the ski resort on the Cairngorm estate are badly in need of repair. Overdue repairs to bring the facilities up to scratch could cost up to £2 million of public money. HIE, who owns the estate, withdrew from negotiations to transfer ownership to the Forestery Commission last year. In May 2008 HIE took over CairnGorm Mountain Limited, the company that operates the funicular.

Cairngorm Outdoor Access Trust

From April 2008 the Upper Deeside Access Trust will be re-constituted as the Cairngorm Outdoor Access Trust. The new body takes on responsibility in the whole area of the National Park. They have already started to prioritise the need for upland pathwork across the whole park.

Menie Estate Golf Development

A public inquiry into Donald Trump's £1bn golf course and resort development at Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire is set to start in June. Scottish Ministers called in the controversial application in December. They have appointed James McCulloch, chief reporter and director for planning and environmental appeals, to conduct the inquiry, which should start later in June.

Details of application

The proposal has brought environmental and commercial interests into conflict. The application by Trump International Golf Links is for two golf courses, a large hotel, 500 houses and 1,000 holiday homes. Part of one course is on the Foveran Links Site of Special Scientific Interest. Aberdeenshire Council's Infrastructure Services Committee voted to refuse consent. The Scotsman identifies the Pros and Cons as:

PROS

• The development could support 6,230 jobs during construction in Aberdeenshire and 740 in the rest of Scotland.
• Ongoing operations could support 1,250 and 1,440 long-term jobs in the region and Scotland, respectively.
• It could create £205 - £262 million of new economic output over the course of building work.
• It could generate £47 million a year in Aberdeenshire.
• It would provide a lasting impact for the region, bringing in a £300 million slice of tourism income.

CONS

• Area marked for the golf course is environmentally sensitive coastline. It hosts seven bird species on conservation Red List.
• About 40 per cent of the site is on the Foveran Links Site of Special Scientific Interest.
• Environmentalists say the project would destroy one of UK's top five sand dunes.
• It is also claimed that it would undermine the Scottish environmental assessment regulations laid out to protect nationally important sites - and would be contrary to European and Scottish legislation.

Details from RSPB - Sustainable Aberdeenshire

Press Release from Scottish Wildlife Trust

Formartine Area Committee Report (20/11/2007) including location map

We encourage readers to make their views known either by signing the Downing Street (closed) or Aberdeenshire Council petitions or by writing to their MSP. NEMT's letter to John Swinney MSP and Richard Lochhead MSP is here.

Renewable Energy

Beauly Denny Public Inquiry

Scotland's longest and most expensive public inquiry has ended. NEMT supported the Beauly Denny Landscape Group in the public local inquiry into the proposed replacement transmission power line. The three reporters are expected to submit their report towards the end of 2008. Scottish ministers should reach their decision on the application in 2009.

NEMT's Press Release - End of Inquiry - Inquiry website

Pylon Pressure - Cairngorms Against Pylons - Highlands before Pylons

Everyone Campaign

An initiative from Scottish Environment Link