New plans have been lodged to create the UK’s highest campervan site in the Cairngorm National Park.
Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd (CMSL) has submitted a planning application to the Highland Council to turn one of its car parks into an overnight area for motorhomes.
The application is for 66 bays for the recreational vehicles at the Coire na Ciste car park, which is around one and a half miles from the Cairngorm Mountain Base Station and funicular railway.
Parking for cars and hillwalkers will be retained for 56 vehicles. The firm also hope to have the campervan site open for early summer.
CMSL also hopes the plans will generate much-needed funds for the resort and help alleviate summer gridlock in the wider area.
According to the plans submitted by CMSL, issues such as campfires and “dirty campers” like those seen at nearby Loch Morlich will increase unless a campervan site is put in place.
In the planning documents they state: “Generally, up to this point, overnight stays within the car parks have not created many incidents at Cairngorm, in comparison to the large numbers of overnight vehicles using the three car parks.
“It is CMSL’s intention to realise a 24-hour toilet facility in Caire Cas as part of future investment, which will alleviate some of these problems.
“Our Ranger service regularly patrol the car parks and road verges and whilst littering is happening, it is currently manageable.
“There has been some evidence of fires and the CMSL Ranger Service have had two instances last year where they needed to extinguish a campfire.”
Wild camping: Loch Morlich latest to be left in a mess by ‘disgraceful’ campers
They added: “It is our view that as campervan usage increases, at some point we may see over capacity, which could lead to issues, experienced in remote areas across Scotland last year and around Loch Morlich.
“To manage future negative effects at Cairngorm, it is likely that we will need to formalise overnight stays.
“We believe this planning application is needed as a first step to manage Campervans and motor homes already using our car parks, and to positively improve their stay in what is a stunning mountain location within the national park.”
Cairngorms are one of Scotland’s most popular National Parks but overnight parking is largely bannedThe plans are the latest of three local proposals recently submitted in the Highlands – the others being in Dalwhinnie and Nethy Bridge – to accommodate the increase in campervan tourism.
Susan Smith, Interim Chief Executive of CMSL: “We are delighted to have got to the stage of submitting a planning application for campervan facilities at the Coire na Ciste car park.
“Staff have been working with colleagues in the CNPA to work-up this project and we very much hope to be in a position to provide this new product in early Summer 2021.
“Dependent upon demand, along with our visitor management plan, we will be considering how best to develop the facility over time.”
Pleas to reopen campsite as scores of tourists flock north and leave behind ‘litter and human waste’
