At the Scottish Quality in Planning Award ceremony held today (Thursday 11 March) in Edinburgh, the CairnGorm Funicular Railway Project won a Commendation award for Highland Council to add to Scotland’s top award that the Council also won for quality in planning for the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Inverness.
Communities Minister Margaret Curran presented the annual Scottish Awards for Quality in Planning, the planning sector’s equivalent of the Oscars, whose aim is to encourage and reward quality in planning throughout Scotland
Said a spokesman for CairnGorm Mountain:
“It is marvellous to be recognised in this way at such a prestigious event and we are delighted to be able to add, in our own way, to the terrific honour that the Eastgate Shopping Centre has brought to Highland Council via the top award.”
“ We would simply reiterate what the Minister said at the award ceremony in that quality is right at the forefront of everything that we do at CairnGorm Mountain and this commendation recognises that philosophy. The built environment has to reflect quality and what we create has to be as aesthetically pleasing and fit into the surrounding landscape.”
“Creating visually attractive buildings and other developments is every bit as important as preserving and protecting the natural environment and this commendation reflects how that has been achieved at CairnGorm Mountain through a professionally-driven collaborative partnership process.”
In presenting the Awards, Margaret Curran said: “Quality must be at the forefront of all that we do in planning. Good design really can change people’s lives. Many of the entries are collaborations - partnerships, which work with residents, businesses and developers and help to deliver real, tangible improvements.”
In the case of the CairnGorm Funicular Railway, the successful planning partnership involved Highland Council and Scottish Natural Heritage.
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Further information from:
BILL NOLAN
Tel: 07885 071804
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