This public consultation by the Scottish Executive ran until 14th September 2004. The full original consultation documents to which this is a response can be accessed from The Cairngorms National Park Authority website.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

The Mountaineering Council of Scotland recommend as follows:-

1. The Aims of the Cairngorms National Park
   The Cairngorms National Park Authority should examine the present condition of the area as respects its hill-tracks and their effect on the quality of the natural heritage, in the light of the well-documented researches of the past 20 years, and should respond to the authoritative recommendations for its conservation and enhancement.

2. Permitted Development Rights
   Following National Planning Policy Guideline (NPPG) 14: 'Natural Heritage ' para. 79, the Cairngorms National Park Authority should seek an Article 4 direction withdrawing permitted development rights for Classes 18 and 22 (vehicular tracks) in respect of the designated area of the National Park tracks.

3. Key Policy
   In line with the Cairngorms Working Party recommendation of 1992 no new or upgraded hill-tracks should be permitted in or near the 'wild land' areas as defined in NPPG 14 (or in the 'core zone' if zoning is adopted), and there should be a presumption against such tracks elsewhere in the area of the National Park.

4. Enhancement of the Natural Heritage
   Hill-tracks up hillsides are not "in the very nature of sporting...estates": the present network of hill-tracks is over-extensive and is detrimental to the values for which the National Park was created. The National Park Authority should promote the radical reduction of the network by obliterating tracks wherever possible and restoring the ground, or reducing them to footpath width, as in course of demonstration on Mar Lodge Estate.

5. Design and Construction of Vehicle Hill-Tracks
   The detailed requirements stated under 'Vehicle Hill-Track developments' and in the Appendix on 'Good Practice for the Design and Construction of Vehicle Hill-Tracks' are in places faulty, in places inadequate and in places misleading. A specification ensuring appropriate alignment, construction, surfacing, drainage, landscaping and maintenance applicable to each particular track and its location should be included in the conditions for any planning permission granted for a vehicle hill-track, including tracks ancillary to other development.

   The interest of the Mountaineering Council of Scotland in this matter is explained and an exposition of the foregoing is submitted in the detailed Response attached.

   10 Sept 2004

   The full MCofS response can be downloaded here (pdf file)