Cairngorm resort owners address claims of 'flawed' masterplan process
The owners of the Cairngorm Estate have responded to claims that the masterplan was already flawed because the decision had been taken to repair the funicular whilst the public consultation on the blueprint was on-going.
The criticism has been levelled at Highlands and Islands Enterprise that the process was at best distorted and at worst a fait accompli because of the commitment to return the mountain railway into use at Cairngorm Mountain.
This was especially the case when it comes to new uplift at the resort, with some critics calling for the removal of the funicular and chairlifts or a gondola system in its place.
The Cairngorm Masterplan report published yesterday has sought to address this within its 44 pages.
A section asks: "Why did masterplan consultation make an assumption that the funicular railway would be reinstated?"
The report states: "At the time we were consulting for the masterplan, the funicular was out of service while safety concerns were being investigated and a range of solutions considered, including removal, reinstatement, and replacement with an alternative form of uplift.
"A study carried out by international consultants SE Group in 2018-2019 had concluded that the funicular was a unique Scottish attraction that should be maintained and enhanced.
"This informed HIE’s position that reinstatement was our preferred solution, provided it was technically achievable, affordable and subject to a full options appraisal and business case.
"It was important to us that a masterplan with an intended life of 25 years should take a long view and look beyond present challenges.
"Allowing a question mark to remain over the future of the funicular would have increased the risk of this single issue dominating consultation that needed to be both broad-ranging and forward-looking, particularly in the context of climate change.
"For the purpose of the consultation, we therefore stated as one of our key assumptions that an operational funicular railway would continue to feature.
"This did not prevent any participants in the consultation from being able to submit views about uplift, including the funicular, alongside their questionnaire."
The Cairngorm funicular has been out of operation since September 2018 because of concerns over the integrity of its concrete viaduct.
It is currently being repaired by Balfour Beatty after the Scottish Government and HIE pledged funds for the work last year following an options appraisal of uplift at the resort.
The mountain railway is due to return to service this winter.
Alan Brattey, of Save the Ciste, believes that the decision to repair the funicular has huge bearing on the masterplan and its future success.
He said: "Cairngorm is completely unsuited to family oriented mountain biking due to the weather and the fact that the base would be at more than 2000 feet above sea level.
"The funicular is unsuited to the carriage of mountain bikes if it is also to transport a high number of pedestrian tourist passengers.
"A high speed chairlift might do the job if it was correctly sited. Although such a chairlift is mentioned, there is no real proposal to build one in the report.
"Cairngorm failed commercially because the funicular doesn't do the job that customers want done. Thousands of them have deserted Cairngorm in recent years.
"Unfortunately the so-called Masterplan does nothing to change that at all and customers will therefore not return.
"Community ownership with HIE and the Scottish Government providing the funding to redevelop the area in the way that customers want is the only way forward.
"This report is more public funding wasted on what is nothing more than a marketing exercise.
"The document contains little of any concrete substance but does indicate the spending on yet more consultations."
Mr Brattey said the proposals in the masterplan report also show considerable reduction in car park capacity in both the Coire Cas and Ciste car parks.
He asked: "How will that assist with the development of the snowsports side of the business?"
Masterplan for Cairngorm Mountain is unveiled