The engagement of this project has ended
Cairngorms Views MapGet project news
Do you want to receive an email when news items are posted?
Latest news
Stay involved in the discussion. Keep up to date with the latest news and share it with your fellow community members.
Have your say tomorrow at Boat of Garten Community Hall
There are just three weeks left to share your views on the draft National Park Partnership Plan before the consultation closes on 17 December. You may already have given your thoughts on the Nature section of the Plan but we’d still love to hear more from you on other topics, particularly those in the Place section. This includes major issues such as public transport, affordable housing, visitor numbers and community involvement in the planning system, all key themes from the informal consultation phase. You can give your feedback on this topic here .
If you live nearby and prefer to share your views in person, you are welcome to attend our event at Boat of Garten Hall tomorrow (30 November) at 1pm to find out more about the draft Park Plan over soup and sandwiches. There will be a short presentation by our CEO, Grant Moir, and a chance to ask questions about the aims and objectives included in the draft plan. Book your free place now here .
You can also request a hard copy of the draft plan and questions by emailing haveyoursay@cairngorms.co.uk or calling +44 (0) 1479 873 535.
The housing crisis: we need more of your views on this topic
Left to right: Shona Robison, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, Mark Tate, CEO, Cairngorms Business Partnership and Kate Forbes, Highland MSP, and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy attended the housing summit in Aviemore.
--
Two of the objectives of the National Park Partnership Plan (NPPP) are to ensure that there is sufficient housing stock to enable people to live and work within the National Park and to ensure the private rented sector provides appropriate security of tenure for people working in the National Park.
One of the 74 responses we received on this topic in the NPPP said: “I do have concerns that there is little that can be done to control the housing availability issue without resorting to drastic changes, much sooner than suggested. The amount of second homes and Airbnb’s in the Park is already huge, and there must be urgent action in collaboration with local authorities to allow local people to fill homes in the Park, and to stem the current epidemic of housing stock being snapped up by the highest bidder.”
You can give your feedback on this topic and other topics relating to the Places of the Park here.
On Monday the Cairngorms Business Partnership unveiled to Cabinet Secretaries Kate Forbes, Highland MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Economy and Shona Robison, MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, their plans to help alleviate the housing crisis facing workers in the CNP.
The summit discussed work that is currently being undertaken to help local people who want to live and work in the area and brought together significant local employers, leaders from Highland Council, Cairngorms National Park Authority, Highland Housing Alliance, Communities Housing Trust, Government Officials, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and representatives of the local community.
The formal consultation on the draft NPPP runs until Friday 17 December 2021. Responses are being gathered through physical events and digital platforms, including this interactive mapping tool and the cairngormsviews website .
One month to go! What are your thoughts on transport, housing and tourism?
It’s only four weeks until the close of the consultation on the next Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan (NPPP) and everyone is encouraged – if they haven’t done so already – to make their views known on what is considered the most crucial NPPP to date. The response since the consultation opened in September has been strong with over 400 comments received so far. Issues relating to nature and the environment have attracted a particularly high response rate, but the Cairngorms National Park Authority is also keen to hear views on other issues as well, such as, transport, housing or tourism.
“The need to act at pace and scale on the climate and nature crisis is clearer than ever and of course, when the previous NPPP was launched back in 2017, no-one knew what Covid-19 was,” said Grant Moir, Chief Executive of the CNPA. “So much has changed in the last five years, so our next National Park Partnership Plan needs to be ambitious and robust to address the many issues we face.”
“The draft Park Plan that is currently out for consultation represents the most ambitious set of targets and actions we’ve ever considered but does it capture all the priorities for the Park? We are delighted to have received over 400 responses, with a particular emphasis on the Nature section of our draft plan. However there are other elements we need respondents to focus on, particularly around People and Place.
“We want to hear what people have to say about supporting jobs for young people, greater community empowerment, health and wellbeing – both of residents and visitors – as well as the local economy, diversification, skills and training. We need everyone with an interest to log onto the consultation website or get in touch and share their views with us.”
The draft Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan draws on extensive public feedback received over the summer and sets out how all those with a responsibility for the National Park will co-ordinate their work to tackle the most important issues, setting a framework for all the public bodies delivering relevant functions in the Cairngorms National Park. This will be the fourth Partnership Plan since the National Park was established in 2003.
In the build up to the formal consultation on the NPPP, more than 500 responses were gathered to help shape the draft Plan including views on a range of topics critical to the future of the Cairngorms National Park. Key themes included tackling the climate emergency, improved public transport and better walking and cycling routes, affordable housing, looking after the needs of the local workforce, woodland expansion and peatland restoration, and managing the impacts of increasing visitor numbers.
The formal consultation on the draft NPPP runs until Friday 17 December 2021. Responses are being gathered through a number of different physical events and digital platforms, including this interactive mapping tool and the Cairngorms Views website .
Following that, a consultation report will be produced in the New Year that sets out all the key feedback, which will inform any changes to the plan before it is considered for approval by the Park Authority Board and submitted to Scottish Ministers in June 2022 for final sign off.
We need your views on affordable housing, transport, jobs and much more
We're a couple of months into the formal consultation now and we've been blown away with both the volume and quality of responses received so far. Over 300 of you have already shared your thoughts on the draft plan, with a particular emphasis on our proposed objectives for Nature over the next five years. Thank you to you all for taking part.
What you may not be aware of is that there are two other sections which we'd love your feedback on: People and Place .
The People section focuses on vital areas such as:
The Place section covers important topics including:
Taking part should only take 10-15 mins , but your thoughts can make a huge difference to the shape of the final Park Plan. To share your views, visit the People section and the Place section of the Commonplace website. If you've already taken part, you shouldn't need to enter your personal details again.
The closing date for consultation responses is Friday 17 December.
Public views sought as formal consultation phase for fourth Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan is launched
The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has launched the formal consultation phase for the next Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan. The draft plan draws on extensive public feedback received since June and sets out how all those with a responsibility for the National Park will co-ordinate their work to tackle the most important issues, setting a framework for all the public bodies delivering relevant functions in the Cairngorms National Park. This will be the fourth Partnership Plan since the National Park was established in 2003.
Over the summer, the CNPA gave people the opportunity to help shape a draft Partnership Plan. Anyone with an interest was able to take part in answering a series of questions, including via a dedicated Cairngorms Views website and by using interactive mapping tools, where participants could ‘drop a pin’ where they considered an issue needed addressing and leave comments.
More than 500 responses were gathered, highlighting the public’s views on a range of topics critical to the future of the Cairngorms National Park. Key themes included tackling the climate emergency, improved public transport and walking / cycling routes, affordable housing, looking after the needs of the local workforce, tree planting and peatland restoration, and managing the impacts of increasing visitor numbers. A remarkable 92% of respondents said it was either important or very important that action was taken to tackle climate change, whilst 89% agreed or strongly agreed that local communities have an important part to play in shaping the future of the Cairngorms National Park. Around half of respondents (48%) were optimistic about the future, with just over a quarter (27%) pessimistic.
Xander McDade, Convener of the CNPA Board , said: "We’re very pleased with the great response we’ve had so far and I would like to thank all those who have already responded their thoughts to help shape the draft plan. There has been a wide range of opinions expressed, but there have also been a number of recurring themes such as affordable housing, better transport and improving conservation within the Park to help combat our biodiversity crisis.
“I feel that the draft National Park Partnership Plan is probably our most ambitious to date and has been shaped not just by public sector and third sector partners, but by local businesses and the people who live and work here.
“It is vitally important that everyone who calls the National Park home, or enjoys the Cairngorms for recreation or works here, gets involved in this consultation so that it reflects the future we all aspire to and is truly a Park for All.”
The Scottish Government's Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, Lorna Slater MSP , said: “Urgent action is needed to tackle the climate and nature crisis. We must work together – individuals, communities, and businesses – to deliver transformative change. National Parks are a vital part of this effort.
“I urge all who care about the people, communities and natural environment of the Cairngorms National Park to share their voices through the channels offered within the this public consultation to shape a meaningful plan for the future of the Park.”
The formal consultation process for the fourth Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan started today (Thursday 23 September) and will run for 12 weeks to the 17 December 2021. Responses will be gathered through a number of different physical events and digital platforms including the dedicated Cairngorms Views website and interactive mapping tools. Following that, a consultation report will be produced in the New Year that sets out all the key feedback, which will inform any changes to the plan before it is approved by the Park Authority Board and submitted to Scottish Ministers in June 2022 for final sign off.
To find out more and to give your views, please visit the Nature , People and Place sections of the consultation website.