Board meeting - 13 March 2026

This document contains a notice about the upcoming Cairngorms National Park Authority meetings on 13 March 2026. These meetings will be held in a hybrid format. The schedule includes the Planning Committee at 9.30am, the Formal Board at 12.30pm, and the Audit and Risk Committee at 2.00pm. You can find the agenda and papers for these meetings on the National Park Authority's website, www.cairngorms.co.uk/, from the Friday before the meeting.

This document contains the formal board agenda for a meeting of the Cairngorms National Park Authority, scheduled for 13 March 2026 at 12:30am. The meeting will be held at the Park Authority's office in Grantown-on-Spey, with a hybrid attendance option. Key items on the agenda include a welcome and apologies, matters arising, declarations of interest, and a decision on the Local Development Plan Evidence Report, which will be presented by Dan Harris. The agenda also includes Any Other Competent Business and notes that the next meeting is set for 27 March 2026.

This document contains a request for the Cairngorms National Park Authority Board to approve the 'Local Development Plan 3 – Evidence Report 2025' for submission to Scottish Ministers. This Evidence Report is a crucial first step in preparing the new Local Development Plan (LDP) by May 2028, a requirement under recent planning law changes. The report gathers initial information and evidence, informed by early consultation, to guide the future LDP, though it doesn't include specific proposals yet. After submission, the report will face an independent 'Gatecheck' review by the Division for Planning and Environmental Appeals (DPEA), which will determine if its information is sufficient. The Park Authority is mindful that many such reports are often deemed insufficient elsewhere, which could significantly delay the LDP's timeline, so they've worked diligently to ensure the report is thorough.

This document contains the Evidence Report for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan 3. It's the first step in planning, where the Park Authority gathers information and evidence to help shape the next plan, without setting out detailed proposals yet. The report explains how planning works in the Cairngorms National Park, checks if the current spatial strategy is appropriate, and confirms that it meets legal requirements from Scottish Government, like the National Planning Framework 4. It also summarises what the evidence means for the Proposed Plan, details how extensive engagement was carried out with various groups including local authorities, communities, children, young people, and disabled people, and highlights any remaining disagreements or gaps in the information. Essential assessments, such as equality impact, environmental, and habitats regulations, are also included to make sure the plan is well-informed and thorough.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park's Local Development Plan, explaining how its goals for nature, people, and place are shaped by major national and international strategies like the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, Scotland's National Performance Framework, and National Planning Framework 4. Crucially, it links closely to the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan (2022 – 2027), which provides the main vision and overarching outcomes for the National Park across these themes. The report also details how the recently passed Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill strengthens the duty of public bodies to uphold the National Park’s aims and implement the Partnership Plan. Finally, it summarises feedback from stakeholder engagement, addressing points of agreement and dispute, especially concerning the balance between nature conservation and supporting local communities with needs like housing and transport.

This document contains an evidence report from March 2026 for the Cairngorms National Park, which monitors how well its Local Development Plan 2021 policies are working, especially since Scotland's National Planning Framework 4 was introduced. The report looked at over one thousand planning applications between April 2021 and March 2025, finding that most were approved, suggesting the plan is largely effective. Policies about design and placemaking, new housing, and natural heritage were used most often. Discussions with staff and developers showed that while many policies are doing well, the Park Authority needs to create new local policies. These new policies will fill gaps left by the National Planning Framework 4, covering things like specific targets for affordable housing, protecting important economic areas, and safeguarding the unique landscapes and natural resources of the Cairngorms National Park. Some stakeholders expressed concerns that ambitious affordable housing targets might make development difficult, and the Park Authority plans to use all this feedback for the next Local Development Plan.

This document contains the detailed site assessment methodology for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, published in March 2026. It outlines a three-stage process to evaluate potential development sites, ensuring alignment with the National Planning Framework 4, various Scottish laws, and the Cairngorms National Park Partnership Plan. The methodology prioritises conserving natural and cultural heritage, promoting sustainable development, and considering factors like deliverability and community needs. This approach is informed by input from key agencies like NatureScot and Historic Environment Scotland, and stakeholder engagement confirmed the evidence base is strong and sufficient for preparing the upcoming Proposed Plan, with no current disputes.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, outlining how the National Park will address climate change. It highlights Scotland's commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2045 and a 75% reduction by 2030, influenced by policies like the National Planning Framework 4 and UN Sustainable Development Goals. The report details observed climate changes, such as warmer winters, drier summers, and increased extreme weather, which heighten risks like wildfires, floods, and water scarcity, affecting the Park's natural environment, communities, and economy. To tackle this, the plan focuses on reducing greenhouse gas emissions from residents, visitors, industry, and transport, alongside mitigation through woodland expansion and peatland restoration. It also outlines adaptation strategies, including strengthening community resilience, enhancing infrastructure, and protecting historic sites, ensuring climate action is integrated into all development decisions.

This document contains important evidence for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, focusing on our natural heritage. It outlines how the Park Authority plans to protect and enhance the natural environment, ensuring these elements are central to all planning decisions. We're guided by national and international goals, like Scotland's plan to tackle the climate emergency (meaning big problems caused by a changing climate) and nature crisis by 2045, and the global biodiversity framework. Our strategies include expanding native woodlands, restoring peatlands, managing moorlands, and improving our rivers and wetlands to create stronger nature networks. We're also working hard to help key species like the Scottish wildcat, beaver, capercaillie, and curlew recover. The National Park is home to many special protected areas and species, which are currently facing challenges from issues like a changing climate and habitat loss. We use an approach that prioritises avoiding and reducing harm to nature, then restoring it, and we work closely with communities and landowners to achieve these vital goals.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park's Local Development Plan, focusing on its important landscapes. It refers to national planning frameworks and the Park Authority's goals, which emphasize protecting and improving the area's natural and cultural heritage. The report highlights the Park's unique landscape features, known as special landscape qualities, which include its extensive wild land, dark skies, dramatic mountains, and cultural sites, all valued for local identity, wellbeing, and tourism. It also discusses concerns about the growth of upland tracks, potential effects from wind energy projects nearby, and new telecommunication masts. Feedback from people living and working in the area consistently showed how much they value the landscape. As a result, the Proposed Plan aims to safeguard and enhance these special qualities, carefully guiding future development to maintain the area's character and support local community needs.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, focusing on its rich historic and cultural heritage. It sets out the policy context, drawing from the National Planning Framework 4 and the National Parks (Scotland) Act 2000, which aim to protect, enhance, and sustainably manage these important assets. The report provides a baseline of the Park's heritage, detailing special landscape qualities, over 15,300 Historic Environment Records, 110 scheduled monuments, 10 nationally important and 33 locally significant designed landscapes, two battlefields, five planned towns, 595 listed buildings, and 27 buildings at risk. It also highlights the linguistic heritage, with 706 people speaking Gaelic and 4,148 speaking Scots in 2022. Stakeholder engagement emphasized the value of local culture, history, and the need to protect the oral heritage and ancestral sites important to Gypsy / Traveller communities. This comprehensive evidence will inform the Proposed Plan, guiding sustainable management and enhancement of both tangible and intangible heritage within the National Park.

This document contains a comprehensive look at how land, soil, and resources are used and managed within the Cairngorms National Park. It brings together information on various land types, such as moorland, peat bogs, agricultural areas, and woodlands, and also discusses publicly owned land and protected natural sites. The report highlights the importance of protecting valuable resources like carbon-rich soils and the area's geology, and outlines efforts to restore peatlands and expand woodlands to help tackle climate change. It also examines issues such as vacant land, empty buildings, soil erosion, and the availability of minerals and aggregates, all to help inform future planning decisions for the Cairngorms National Park.

This document contains detailed evidence about energy for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, aiming to inform future decisions. It outlines national and local policies, including the Scottish Government's goal to reach net-zero emissions and the National Planning Framework 4, which supports renewable energy but prohibits large wind farms in National Parks to protect their special landscape. The report explains the electricity network's capacity, showing that many areas face constraints and highlighting ongoing upgrade projects by Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Transmission and Distribution. It also covers various energy sources like solar, hydro, and the potential for hydrogen to help industries like distilleries decarbonise. Ultimately, the Park Authority plans to work with SSEN and stakeholders to integrate these energy needs and infrastructure developments into the Proposed Plan, ensuring a balance between meeting demand, supporting community energy projects, and safeguarding the Park's unique natural and cultural heritage.

This document contains an evidence report on zero waste for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan. It looks at policies from national, Park Authority, and local levels, focusing on achieving a 'circular economy' – where materials are kept in use for as long as possible – to reduce waste, boost recycling, and reach net-zero goals. The report details the region's waste management facilities and their capacity, noting that the Park's recycling rate is higher than the Scottish average, but it still sends significantly more waste to landfill per person. Community feedback highlights concerns about litter and the need for better recycling access. The report concludes that existing waste facilities have enough capacity for future growth, and the Park Authority will continue to collaborate with local councils on waste management efforts.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, which focuses on sustainable transport. It brings together a wide range of information, including national and local policies, strategies, and data on how people travel, transport emissions, and existing infrastructure. The report highlights the need to reduce reliance on private cars, improve access to active travel like walking and cycling, and enhance public transport options across the Cairngorms National Park. The overall aim is to create a more sustainable, accessible, and environmentally friendly transport system for everyone, while also addressing transport poverty.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, exploring the idea of 'local living' and '20 minute neighbourhoods'. This concept aims to ensure people can easily reach their daily needs, such as shops, healthcare, and transport, by walking or cycling, which helps reduce car use. The Park Authority created an interactive map, using national guidelines, to see how well communities within the National Park connect to these essential services, keeping in mind that rural areas have unique needs due to their spread-out populations. The report shows that while larger towns have many services within easy reach, smaller communities often rely on connections to these bigger centres. This information, along with community feedback, will help guide future planning decisions to create sustainable, liveable communities with good facilities and active travel options.

This document contains an evidence report on housing within the Cairngorms National Park, highlighting the ongoing challenge of providing enough affordable and quality homes for everyone who lives and works here. It explains that house prices have soared, making it tough for local people to buy, and a significant portion of properties are used as second homes or short-term lets, which limits housing for permanent residents. The Park's population is also getting older, and we're seeing more smaller households. To help address these issues, the Cairngorms National Park Authority plans to facilitate the delivery of 850 new homes over the next 10 years. This plan will focus on creating more affordable options, supporting rural communities, and meeting the specific housing needs of groups like Gypsy/Travellers and older people, all in a way that promotes sustainable development and respects the environment.

This document contains a summary of evidence for Schedule 14: Education, which is part of the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan. It examines the current educational landscape within and around the Cairngorms National Park, covering demographics, school infrastructure, and relevant policies. The report shows a decreasing school-age population and rising median age, with birth rates lower than the Scottish average. It details the condition, suitability, and capacity of primary and secondary schools, as well as nurseries, across the different local authorities covering the National Park. Some primary schools, including Abernethy, Carrbridge, and Newtonmore, along with Alford Academy, are identified as having potential capacity challenges. The document explains that developer contributions are vital for funding new or improved education facilities, with specific requirements set by each local authority when new housing developments might impact school capacity, aligning with the National Planning Framework 4's 'infrastructure first' approach. It also discusses the importance of outdoor learning, the lack of higher education facilities within the National Park, and how housing availability affects teacher retention. Overall, this evidence is considered sufficient to inform the development of the upcoming Proposed Plan.

This document contains an evidence report for Schedule 15, focusing on heating and cooling within the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan 2026. It highlights Scotland's ambitious goals to reach net zero emissions by 2045, which involves transforming how buildings are heated and cooled. A significant challenge in the Cairngorms National Park is the limited mains gas network, leading many homes to rely on oil or electricity. The report discusses various strategies, including new laws like the Heat Networks (Scotland) Act 2021 and the New Build Heat Standard, which requires climate-friendly heating systems in new homes from 2025. Local authorities are developing Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies to guide the process of removing carbon emissions from heating and improving energy efficiency. While some areas are suitable for shared heating systems (called district heat networks), individual solutions like heat pumps are often more appropriate for the rural properties in the National Park. The report also considers how to make buildings more energy efficient, address fuel poverty, and integrate natural solutions like green roofs into building design, all while taking into account local community needs and concerns about practicalities and backup heating options.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park's Local Development Plan, focusing on blue and green infrastructure. It highlights the crucial role these natural and built elements, like parks, rivers, woodlands, and urban green spaces, play in enhancing biodiversity, mitigating climate change, and improving community well-being. The report details how national and local policies, such as the National Planning Framework 4 and the Scottish Biodiversity Strategy, guide the protection and expansion of these areas, aiming to create interconnected 'Nature Networks' and ensure sustainable resource management. It also examines existing protected sites, efforts in peatland and woodland restoration, water quality and flood management, and various community-led initiatives, providing a robust foundation for future development plans within the National Park.

This document contains an evidence report from March 2026, called "Schedule 17: Play, recreation and sport," for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan. It provides baseline information and assessments of play, recreation, and sport facilities within the Cairngorms National Park. The report shows 39 formal play spaces, with 59% rated as good quality; however, only 46% of homes are within a five-minute walk of a formal play space, indicating a need for more. There is an abundance of accessible open spaces, with 99% of the National Park's land and water available for recreation, comprising 1,112 hectares of open space and 6,022 hectares of woodland. The audit also identifies 118 sports facilities, with the largest settlements having more diverse options, though some rural areas lack dedicated facilities. Stakeholder feedback emphasized the need for diverse, safe, and accessible facilities to support community wellbeing and attract young families. The Cairngorms National Park Authority considers the evidence sufficient for the Proposed Plan, which will align with the National Park's aims and national planning frameworks, ensuring sites for play and recreation are identified and blue and green infrastructure is enhanced. While most parties agreed with the evidence, Invercauld Estate raised a point about the limited reference to country sports, which the Park Authority clarified are addressed in other relevant schedules.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park's Local Development Plan, focusing on health and safety. It gathers information from many sources, including national policies, local plans, and data about the people who live here. The report looks at things like how healthy the population is, what healthcare services are available, environmental risks such as air and noise pollution, and ways to encourage healthy living through good food and exercise, plus burial grounds. Its purpose is to make sure the new Local Development Plan helps to improve the well-being and address safety concerns for everyone in the Cairngorms National Park.

This document contains important evidence for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, focusing on flood risk and water management. It addresses the increasing challenges from climate change, such as greater flood risks and potential water scarcity, and highlights the need for effective adaptation strategies. The report details existing flood risks from various sources, identifies areas particularly vulnerable to flooding, and discusses different management approaches, including the role of natural flood management and beaver translocation. It also covers water quality, noting generally good status but identifying pressures like those from hydroelectricity affecting fish, and assesses the capacity of water infrastructure like treatment works, private supplies, and public conveniences. The Park Authority's proposed plan emphasizes avoiding development in high-risk areas, protecting water quality in key sites, promoting sustainable water use, and ensuring robust infrastructure, all guided by engagement with relevant agencies and local communities.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, focusing on digital infrastructure. It highlights that many areas in the National Park, especially remote ones, still lack decent or superfast broadband and have gaps in mobile phone coverage, despite overall improvements across Scotland, with 5G coverage being very limited. Reliable digital connectivity is crucial for residents, businesses, and visitors, enabling access to services and supporting economic growth. Various government and industry programmes, such as the Reaching 100% scheme, Project Gigabit, and the Shared Rural Network, are working to expand full-fibre broadband and 4G coverage, with specific upgrades planned for key settlements like Aviemore, Grantown on Spey, and Ballater. The Local Development Plan will aim to support new digital infrastructure, ensuring it minimises any impact on the natural environment and that new developments meet a minimum superfast broadband speed, reflecting community concerns about connectivity for daily life and work.

This document contains an evidence report for economic development within the Cairngorms National Park, supporting its Local Development Plan. It draws on various international, national, and local policies and strategies, including Scotland's National Strategy for Economic Transformation, all aiming for a wellbeing economy that focuses on people and the planet, not just financial growth. The report highlights community wealth building, an approach designed to keep wealth within local communities, as a core principle. It details baseline information on the Park's economy, noting a decrease in the working-age population, an increase in older residents, and tourism as the largest employment sector. The report also examines skills, land availability, income inequality, and resident perceptions, concluding with implications for future planning to balance job creation with sustainable development and address local challenges.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan, focusing on town and village centres and retail. It compiles findings from town and village health checks conducted by the Cairngorms National Park Authority (Park Authority) in 2023 and 2025, which assessed the vitality, business mix, and community needs of places like Aviemore, Ballater, and Blair Atholl. The report is guided by the National Planning Framework 4's "Town Centre First Principle", promoting sustainable development, local living, cultural vibrancy, and economic resilience. Key findings highlight issues such as vacant properties, challenges with housing availability, and transport infrastructure needs, while also recognizing cultural offerings like art galleries, cinemas, and music venues. Implications for the Proposed Plan include reviewing town centre boundaries, restricting certain non-retail uses like hot food takeaways, supporting electric vehicle charging and active travel, re-using vacant land for residential development, extending the Strathspey railway, and safeguarding local services and cultural heritage assets.

This document contains an evidence report for the Cairngorms National Park's Local Development Plan, focusing on tourism. It looks at how many people visit, where they stay, and how they travel, noting that many come for the beautiful natural scenery and outdoor activities. Tourism significantly helps the local economy and jobs, but there are also challenges like pressure on infrastructure, impact on nature, and housing for staff. The Park Authority aims to support sustainable tourism that benefits local communities and the economy, while also protecting the natural and cultural heritage, by managing visitor numbers and improving facilities like transport, car parks, and toilets.