The Cairngorms National Park Authority has launched a call for sites and ideas as part of preparations for the next Local Development Plan, inviting communities, individuals, organisations and landowners to help shape how the National Park develops in the years ahead. The consultation will run for 12 weeks from 20 March to 12 June 2026 and is open to anyone with an interest in the future of the National Park.

The call for ideas is an early and important stage in the planning process. It provides an opportunity for people to suggest ideas that could help shape future planning policies and development priorities across the National Park. Submissions will inform the direction of the next Local Development Plan, which will set out where development will take place over the next 10 years and how the National Park’s landscapes, communities and natural environment are protected and enhanced.

Russell Jones, Chair of the Park Authority Planning Committee, said: “The Local Development Plan shapes how the National Park develops over time, so it’s vital that the voices of the people who live and work here are heard in this consultation. Local communities understand the opportunities and challenges facing the Cairngorms better than anyone. This call for sites and ideas is a chance for people to share their knowledge, highlight what matters most to them and help ensure that future development supports thriving communities while protecting the qualities that make the National Park such a special place.”

Ideas can relate to a particular place, such as proposals for new or improved community facilities or areas that should be protected as green space. People can also put forward ideas about planning policy, including suggestions for changes to existing policies, or broader views on how development should be managed within the National Park. 

Landowners and others are invited to propose specific sites for allocation in the next Local Development Plan, allowing them and their representatives to suggest locations they believe may be suitable for development.

David Berry, Head of Planning and Development at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said: “The Local Development Plan plays a crucial role in guiding how the Cairngorms National Park evolves over time. By inviting ideas at this early stage, we can draw on local knowledge and community ambitions to help shape a plan that supports thriving communities, protects our special landscapes and responds to the challenges of a changing climate. We encourage everyone with an interest in the National Park to take part.”

Ideas can be submitted through the online questionnaire available on this page of the Park Authority website, and site proposals can be submitted here. The questionnaires can also be downloaded and returned by email, post or in person at the Park Authority’s Grantown on Spey office. Help is available for submitting sites and ideas by emailing [email protected].