Visitors to Cairngorm Mountain will soon have to pay for parking after planning permission was granted for automatic barriers at the site.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority (CNPA)’s planning committee gave the go-ahead for the new solar-powered barriers at the exit and entrance of the Upper Coire Cas car park.
People driving to the mountain will need to pay to park between April and October.
The CNPA planning committee also approved a separate application from the owners of the ski centre for two new tube slides for “tubing” activities.
One of the planned slides will be just under 100ft for beginners, and the other will be longer at around 170ft.
CNPA graduate planner Robbie Calvert said: “These are both low-impact developments with the barriers being minimalistic design and scale, and in the context of the main car park, existing signage, and wider ski infrastructure.
“The visual impact of the tube slides is also considered minimal, and the development is of a temporary nature.”
Eleanor Mackintosh, convener of the CNPA planning committee, added: “Supporting economic growth is extremely important at this time, so long as there are no negative landscape or environmental impacts, and in the scheme of things, these applications are minor.
“The lack of a masterplan for Cairngorm Mountain, while frustrating, is not grounds to refuse these developments.”
