Work on £1.2m offices extension for CNPA gets underway
Work on £1.2m offices extension for CNPA gets underway
14-16 The Square Grantown-on-Spey has been home to the Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) since the organisation’s inception in 2003 and the Cairngorms Partnership before that.
This summer marks a new era for the organisation as the building it occupies undergoes a transformation with a new major extension being built, which should be completed by July 2018.
The building is owned by Reidhaven Estate and now that the necessary agreements have been signed between the property owners and the CNPA, work can get underway on the demolition of part of the rear of the building before construction starts at the end of July, carried out by local building firm AW Laing.
The cost of the extension is in the region of £1 million and is being met by Reidhaven Estate, with fit out works, furniture and equipment being paid for by the Park Authority, which is expected to cost around £200,000.
Grant Moir, the CNPA’s Chief Executive said: “We are delighted to see work starting on the extension, we are committed to having a presence in Grantown and the works will improve visitor access to the building as well as an improved working environment for staff.”
Chief Executive of Seafield and Strathspey Estates, Will Anderson commented: “The offices occupy a key site in the centre of Grantown and contribute to the vitality of the town centre. When it became apparent in 2013 that the Park Authority needed additional high quality office accommodation for its staff, we were keen to retain them as tenants and as a fixture in the centre of Grantown.”
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Alert
Latest from the National Park
Ongoing wildfire near Ryvoan Bothy
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Relevant alerts
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Update - 21:55
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have shared that emergency services continue to tackle a large-scale wildfire covering more than two kilometres in width near to Glenmore.
A number of homes and businesses, including campsites and ski resorts within the Glenmore Forest Park area, have been closed and evacuated as a safety precaution due to the close proximity to the incident.
As of 9pm on Wednesday night (15 July), Scottish Fire and Rescue Service currently has six fire appliances, a wildfire unit, specialist resources and tactical commanders mobilised to the scene after the alarm was raised just before 12 noon earlier today.
Firefighters are working with landowners to contain the incident and create fire breaks, with high winds causing the fire to spread across areas of trees and woodland. There are no reported casualties.
Road closures continue to be in place to support the emergency response, and people are asked to avoid the area within Glenmore Forest Park and Loch Morlich on Thursday, 16 July as this incident continues.
We will share updates as the situation develops. In the meantime, our thanks go out to the emergency services, gamekeepers, NGO and estate staff and many others from across the community who are working non-stop to get these fires under control, and providing support to those affected.
Update - 20:06
Emergency services and partners are continuing to respond to this wildfire. A number of properties and premises in the area have been evacuated as a precaution. The Ski Road is currently closed. Anyone walking in the Cairngorms should avoid the area and let family or friends know when they have returned.
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The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and partners are currently in attendance at a large fire in the open near to Ryvoan Bothy within the Cairngorms National Park.
Due to large volumes of smoke travelling towards populated areas nearby, residents in Aviemore, Glenmore and the surrounding communities should keep their windows and doors closed. If you are within this area and can see or smell smoke, please follow the same advice. If you are aware of someone hiking in the area, please ask them to get themselves safely off the hill as soon as possible.
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has asked that people avoid the Glenmore and Aviemore area, and remain vigilant. Our thanks go to all those engaged in active firefighting - we will post further updates when we have them.
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Very high fire risk - 15 to 20 July
The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has issued a very high wildfire warning impacting areas of the National Park on Wednesday 15 until Monday 20 July. If you are out and about in the Cairngorms National Park please observe the following guidance:
- Do not light any fire or barbecue, in line with the new fire byelaw
- Always ensure cigarettes are fully extinguished and take your litter (including glass) away with you
- Enjoy the outdoors responsibly - most wildfires are caused by human activity
- Stay alert - with dry vegetation and warm weather, fires can start easily, spread rapidly, and burn intensely
- If you see a wildfire, dial 999
For further updates on wildfire risk across Scotland, visit the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website. To find out more about the fire byelaw, and to see your questions answered, visit our fire byelaw page here.