Big money improvements to be made at Cairngorm Mountain's Coire Cas car park
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Work is set to start next week on a £710,000 project to significantly improve the main car park at Cairngorm Mountain and instal a new access track behind the Base Station.
The project which gets under way on Monday is being led by operator Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Limited (CMSL), a subsidiary of Cairngorm Estate owner, Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
HIE bosses have said it fulfils a commitment made in the 25-year Cairngorm Masterplan to making landscaping improvements to enhance the sense of arrival for visitors to the attraction.
The development agency is contributing £616,000 towards the total costs, with the remainder coming from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA).
The work will include resurfacing of the car park, installation of edging kerbs and new channels, while existing drains will be replaced.
There will be a new active travel route created for pedestrians and cycles along the western edge of the car park, and the existing all-abilities trail will be improved.
Dave Macleod, HIE’s head of property and infrastructure, said: “These works will make a huge difference to the look and feel of the arrival at Cairngorm.
"Orientation for visitors will be much easier and they will instantly be aware of the range of activity options on offer.
"This enhanced arrival experience will help encourage visitors to stay longer and to return more often, which will of course have economic benefits for the business and the area.
“We’re very pleased to be able to confirm the funding and look forward to seeing the improvements take place.”
Susan Smith, CMSL chief executive, said: “We are delighted to see this project get under way. It’s been a long time in the planning and will considerably improve the sense of arrival for people coming to Cairngorm in future.
"It will also reflect the sense of pride that the CMSL team have in the resort.”
Murray Ferguson, director of planning and place at CNPA, said: “We are happy to support the project, which is a key part of the delivery of the Cairngorm Mountain Masterplan and which will significantly improve the landscape and sense of arrival at this very important site for visitors.”
The car park has fallen into a poor state in recent years through lack of proper investment. Donation schemes and small parking charges have failed to arrest the decline.
