Planning
The Cairngorms National Park Authority has a pivotal role in the planning system in the National Park area. The National Park Authority shares statutory planning functions with the four local authorities within the Park boundary.
Under the legislation which created the National Park, the Park Authority became the authority responsible for preparing Local Plans within the National Park and for determining planning applications that it considers are of significance to any of the aims of the National Park.
The Park Authority will produce a Local Plan for the whole park
area that will eventually replace the four Local Plans produced by the
local authorities in the National Park. This will set out in detail the
planning framework for the Cairngorms for the next 5 years and beyond,
and will be developed in close consultation with partners and local communities.
The Local Plan will work within the context of a National Park Plan. The National Park Plan will relate to the overall management of the National Park and will set the Park Authority's policy for managing and co-ordinating the exercise of its functions and those of other bodies with a view to ensuring that the Park's aims are collectively achieved in a co-ordinated way
The Park Authority has the power to take responsibility for determining planning applications that it thinks are of significance to the Park's aims. The procedure whereby the Park Authority decides whether or not it should determine planning applications has been termed 'calling in'. The decisions about whether to call-in and determine planning applications made within the National Park area and the determination of those called-in previously, are made by the Planning Committee, which meets every 2 weeks. Where planning applications are received with sufficient information to allow an informed decision, the National Park Authority aims to determine planning applications within two months of the date of the decision to call-in.
The Park Authority has a team of planning staff based in the Ballater office.
Contact the planning team:
Albert Memorial Hall,Station Square
Ballater
(t) 013397 53601
(f) 013397 55334
Email: planning@cairngorms.co.uk
Or the relevant council:
Highland CouncilThe Dept of Planning & Development Services
The Highland Council
Glenurquhart Road
Inverness
IV3 5NX
(t) 01463 702250
email: planning@highland.gov.uk Angus Council
Department of Planning & Transport
Angus Council
St James House
St James Road
Forfar
DD8 2ZP
(t) 01307 461460
email: planning@angus.gov.uk Aberdeenshire Council
Dept of Planning & Environmental Services
Aberdeenshire Council
Viewmount
Arduthie Road
Stonehaven
AB39 2DQ
(t) 01569 768300
email: ma.planapps@aberdeenshire.gov.uk
Moray Council
Dept of Environmental Services
The Moray Council
Council Offices
High Street
Elgin
IV30 1BX
(t) 01343 543451
email: development.control@moray.gov.uk
