Open days lined up to share views on future of Cairngorm
The public will be invited to share views on future of Cairngorm Mountain and the wider estate at four local engagement sessions.
The public consultations are being held in Grantown, Kingussie, Cairngorm Mountain and Aviemore next month.
An spokesman for estate owners Highlands and Islands Enterprise said: “The Cairngorm Estate’s potential as both an environmental and economic asset for Scotland will be the focus of four drop-in events next month.
“The public are being invited to put forward ideas on how the publicly-owned estate – which includes Cairn Gorm mountain – can sustain and enhance its role in underpinning a wide range of business, community, sports and leisure activities to benefit future generations.
“HIE has commissioned specialists Threesixty Architecture and Jura Consultants to prepare a new masterplan for Cairngorm, tapping into the knowledge, ambitions and ideas of a broad range of stakeholders.
“Public sessions are a vital part of the process.”
The spokesman continued: "“To have any value, the engagement phase of master planning has to be a genuinely open exercise.
“The reason we’re doing this is to let the public say what the important issues are, and put forward suggestions for what they believe would deliver the best future for Cairngorm and the area.
“It’s well known that HIE’s intention is to repair the funicular, subject to there being a strong business case, sufficient funding and all necessary approvals.
"Aside from that, however, we are not putting forward our own views at this time, but simply want to listen to our stakeholders. No subject is off limits.”
The open days are being held at Grantown Grammar School (February 11, 4pm-8pm); Kingussie High School (February 12, 4.30pm - 8pm); Cairngorm Mountain Day Lodge (February 13, 10am - noon) and Cairngorm Hotel in Aviemore (February 13, 3pm - 8pm). Views can also be submitted online.
Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust, who are looking to take community control of the hill, has said it could hold its own Q&A session after the four dates.
Project manager Alex Ash said that this would happen if there was an appetite amongst its members and the wider public for such an event.
He said the findings from this would then be feed back to the consultants for the next round of the masterplan.