Yesterday, Highlands and Islands Enterprise was forced to release the full copy of the Report it had commissioned from SE Group into ski infrastructure at Cairn Gorm. After HIE failed to publish the Report when launching its new vision for Cairn Gorm (see here), several people submitted freedom of information requests. Then, when the information was still not forthcoming, they asked for a formal review which could have ended up with the Information Commissioner. HIE, who did not have a leg to stand on, have now released the bulk of the Report after a “Review” conducted by their Chief Executive, Charlotte Wright. (The report is 64 MB so too big to publish here and following issue of this post is now on the Cairngorms FOI section of the HIE website (see here). The Report is titled “Cairngorm ski area feasibility assessment and strategic plan”.
While the Report reaches some strange conclusions – no evidence is provided, for example, to explain why the SE Group ever thought a zip wire from the Ptarmigan was feasible – it appears to contain some useful data and should provide the basis for more informed discussion about the future of the ski area. What is striking from a quick read through, however, is what the SE Group said about HIE and Natural Retreats’ dry ski slope proposal (which was rejected by the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee in October):
and then, after some analysis, which includes consideration of other dry ski slopes in the area:
No wonder HIE did not want the full report released – it shows they ignored the advice they had commissioned. FOI Requests have shown that HIE received the draft report in June, so they must have known their consultants had advised such a development was not appropriate for Cairn Gorm. Yet they still pressed ahead with the Planning Application without making any of this information available to the public or the Cairngorms National Park Authority. CNPA Board Members who rejected the Planning Application should be re-assured that they took the right decision (see here).
Its because of HIE’s reckless disregard for anyone who disagrees with them and their inability to consult properly, which has now gone on for years, that ownership of the Cairn Gorm estate, and responsibility for managing it, needs to be transferred. (HIE needs to remain liable for the financial disaster it has created).
While its difficult to understand why SE Group thought a zip wire would be any more acceptable than a dry ski slope, their comments about what attracts people to Cairngorm, the “alpine environment”, “natural beauty” and “real skiing” are spot on. This vision should drive a new plan for Cairn Gorm. HIE need to release the full SE Group report to all stakeholders, including the Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust, as soon as possible so it can be used to inform a new plan.
It would almost appear that HIE were afraid of losing face if they had publicly pulled the plug on the dry slope before it went to the planning committee, or, had they already spoken privately to board members and asked them to reject it?
This is further very clear evidence of HIE’s thorough incompetence. To commit circa 80k of public funds to have a feasibility study done and then completely ignore the advice about an artificial slope simply confirms that an Audit Scotland investigation is merited. If the CNPA Planning committee hadn’t had the good sense to reject the artificial slope planning application then we’d have had a publicly funded loan committed to constructing something that was doomed to failure [as was pointed out to HIE by a number of people, including me….but, true to form, they would not listen]. HIE ought to have told their tenant to abandon the Artificial slope proposal but the fact that they didn’t and in fact permitted them to take it to planning is very damning. We now have a uplift review that has lost credibility, almost before anyone has had the chance to read it, because HIE themselves chose to ignore it. Institutionalised arrogance…..we know best…….which time and again has been proved to be nonsense. The CabSec with responsibility for HIE, Fergus Ewing MSP should be taking the actions necessary to bring some decent leadership to this hapless organisation.
Alan: With respect to your final sentence. Maybe the First Minister should be taking the actions necessary to provide a CabSec capable of taking the actions necessary to bring some decent leadership to this hapless organisation.