Affordable housing in the Cairngorms will be the focus of a meeting between representatives from the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) and communities from across the Park at a meeting at the Lecht Ski Centre this week (Wednesday 20 September).

The event has been organised by the Association of Cairngorms Community Councils (AoCCC) and starts at 4.30pm. The meeting is designed to give people information on what is happening in the Park and will allow residents to make their views known on the future of affordable housing.

Speaking ahead of the meeting Gavin Miles of the CNPA’s Local Plan team said: “We are grateful to the Association of Cairngorms Community Councils for setting up this meeting. The Park Authority will explain about the work that we have been doing to date in terms of assessing how we can positively intervene in the housing market. This is to ensure that people who are struggling to access housing at the moment will be able to do so in the future.

“We look forward to hearing people’s views and ideas as we continue to develop the National Park Plan and the Local Plan.”

The National Park Plan sets out the long term vision – 25 years – for the Park as a whole as well as the key priorities for the first five years of the Plan, from 2007 to 2012. The Park Plan will guide the work of all agencies operating within the Cairngorms National Park, co-ordinating the public sector, particularly in the relation to the aims of the Park. The National Park Plan is due to be submitted to Scottish Ministers by the end of this year.

Meanwhile, the Local Plan is a key tool for delivering the land-use development related aspects covered by the Park Plan. The Local Plan sets out a clear strategy for built development in the Park with land use planning policies and site specific proposals for development, enhancement or protection of the area. It will also deal with the detail on how to tackle certain issues such as tackling affordable housing. The Local Plan will not go on deposit – and therefore out for formal consultation – until June 2007.

Kate Adamson, Convener of the AoCCC, said: “We are holding this meeting to enable local people to understand the current situation and to contribute their ideas. People in the audience will be able to make their comments including any alternative suggestions they may have for helping people in the area to get a house.”

For more information on the meeting please contact Anne Napier on tel: 01479 831055 or email: [email protected]

Park Authority meets with communities to discuss housing plans