The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA) has approved the new 2017 – 2022 National Park Partnership Plan (NPPP).

The new plans sets out a range of aims to be delivered, including increasing woodland expansion, restoring peatlands and investing in the Deeside and Speyside Way extensions as well as the Snow Roads Scenic Route.

Further proposals include delivering 200 new 'affordable' homes with a range of partners in the Cairngorms National Park by 2022. Planning policies created in the next Local Development Plan will also be made flexible enough to meed the needs of individual communities in the future.

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Other highlights include delivering superfast broadband in the hardest to reach corners of the Park, more volunteering opportunities and introducing a new visitor giving’ scheme to maintain the Park's visitor infrastructure and natural heritage.

CNPA Convener Peter Argyle said the new NPPP will now be submitted for Ministerial approval.

"After a robust and thorough consultation and a great deal of hard work, this is an ambitious but achievable Park Plan for the Cairngorms National Park," he said.

"When we set out on this process we identified nine big issues in order to focus the consultation, all of them equally important but obviously there are key areas which have come to the fore such as deer and moorland management and affordable housing. I think this is a Plan which will deliver real outcomes across conservation, visitor experience and rural development and I give it my full support."

To view the NPPP, visit here.

(LM)