Call for sites
Part of: The next Local Development Plan
Closing soon on 12 June 2026
Consultation open until 12 June 2026
We are carrying out a Call for Sites. It invites landowners (including communities, businesses and developers) and their agents to propose sites they would like to be considered for inclusion for development purposes within the next Cairngorms National Park Local Development Plan.
This form is to be used to propose development sites which could be allocated in the next plan and requires the submission of detailed information to support the site being proposed. Every suggestion, large or small, can help ensure the National Park’s development reflects the needs and ambitions of the people who live, work, and visit here.
Detailed information about the site is required to complete the form including an accurate location and map of the site boundaries, current uses, proposed uses and information on the site’s phasing and deliverability as well as technical assessments if available. Please read the dropdown sections below and review this version of the form before completing it online below.
For community focused or local and small-scale land use ideas such as recreational or community facilities, community growing sites, areas to be protected for environmental and biodiversity interests, and active travel routes, please complete the call for ideas form.
If you are unsure which form you should complete, see our guidance note or contact us at [email protected].
Sites for all types of development proposals can be submitted, but they should be capable of accommodating at least four dwellings or at least 1,000sqm of commercial floorspace. As well as residential uses, sites for employment, retail, leisure, tourism, energy and infrastructure uses and all encouraged.
You do not need to own a site to make a submission, but you will be required to demonstrate that you have the owner’s support and that the site and development proposal is deliverable during the anticipated period of the next Local Development Plan (2028-2037).
The information required should be proportionate to the size and complexity of the proposed development. More information provided in support of a submission will help the Park Authority to undertake a thorough assessment of the proposed site. The information should provide an appropriate level of detail on the proposed development, its impacts and its deliverability. However, most fields are optional (except those marked with an *). If, during the process of short-listing sites we need more information, we will contact you.
Information to support the promotion of the site may also be found by addressing the findings of the Cairngorms National Park Evidence Report and having regard to the policy framework in Scotland's National Planning Framework 4.
Cairngorms National Park Authority’s Evidence Report provides an overview of key evidence and implications relating to the preparation of the next local development plan. The Evidence Report will be assessed by the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division through the gatecheck process. Updates on the gatecheck process are available on the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division’s website.
National Planning Framework 4 includes national planning polices, and associated outcomes, which Cairngorms National Park Authority must take into account in the preparation of the next local development plan and with which any potential new allocations must align.
The form asks for information about the site including contact details, an accurate location, a map of the site boundaries, current uses, proposed uses, phasing and deliverability and, if possible, technical assessments and information on the site’s benefits. You can review this version of the form first before making a submission to the call for sites.
The deadline for site submissions is 15 June 2026.
The Local Development Plan sets the planning framework for the National Park and guides decisions on future development. Your suggestions will help us propose policies which reflect local circumstances, identify where development is most needed, understand community priorities and opportunities, support sustainable growth that respects the National Park’s special landscapes and plan for a low-carbon, nature-positive future.
By taking part, you directly contribute to shaping an area to reflect the collective aspirations of its communities.
As we move into the later stages of the Call for Sites and Ideas, we expect a decision on our Local Development Plan Evidence Report. The appointed Reporter will determine whether the Evidence Report contains sufficient information to allow preparation of the Proposed Plan. If they are satisfied, the process can move forward. If they are not, they will produce an Assessment Report outlining the reasons for this and recommending how the Evidence Report should be improved. Should an Assessment Report be issued, we will review it carefully and consider any implications for the progress of both the Call for Sites and Ideas and the Proposed Plan.
Once the Call for Sites and Ideas has closed, Cairngorms National Park Authority officers will begin the process of assessing the ideas and sites received. We will publish the location of sites proposed, together with their size, proposed use and capacity as part of our Proposed Plan consultation in 2027.
Whether you’re a community, business or developer, we want to hear from you. Together, we can help the Cairngorms National Park remain vibrant, inclusive, and resilient for decades to come.
You can submit your site through our online form below, where you’ll be asked to provide relevant information. You can also download and complete the form and submit it by email, post or directly to our Grantown-on-Spey office.
The form has mandatory questions, marked with an *, which require details of the company, organisation or individual proposing the site, what is proposed and how it will be funded, and, in the Site assessment section, a set of optional questions based on the site assessment template that officers will use to assess the site. They should be answered where possible.
All submissions will be assessed against national planning policy, existing infrastructure capacity, deliverability, environmental considerations, and the statutory aims, vision and objectives of the Cairngorms National Park.