Cairngorm Mountain wins planning consent for summer and winter toboggan run

Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd has secured planning permission from the Cairngorms National Park Authority for a Mountain Toboggan at the resort, the publicly owned operator announced on 13 November 2026.

The company said the attraction can run in summer and in winter when conditions allow, and is intended to reduce the business's dependence on what it called increasingly unpredictable winter weather.

It cited independent economic research estimating that the toboggan could generate £484,000 a year in additional visitor spending across the wider Badenoch and Strathspey area, and said the development would create four additional full-time jobs.

Mike Gifford, Chief Executive of Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd, said: "It is about investing in the future of Cairngorm Mountain and creating a stronger, more sustainable business that can continue to contribute to the local economy."

The decision

The application was considered as Item 5 at the Cairngorms National Park Authority Planning Committee on 13 November 2026, according to the authority's meeting papers. The same meeting also considered an application for 13 serviced apartments at Braemar Lodge.

The company thanked the committee for supporting the proposal. In its release, it said additional income throughout the year would help underpin the future of skiing at the resort by strengthening the financial base for investment in winter operations, facilities and infrastructure.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) published the same statement on 13 November, issued on behalf of the operating company.

Public ownership

Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary established by HIE and is responsible for running the resort, according to the Scottish Parliament's Public Audit Committee. Companies House records show the company was incorporated on 26 November 2018 and has its registered office at An Lochran, 10 Inverness Campus, Inverness.

The committee's report sets out the background to the resort's recent history. The funicular railway closed in September 2018 after a routine inspection by engineers found safety concerns, the committee said.

What happens next

Planning consent does not mean work is imminent. Gifford said: "Our team will now begin work on the next steps, which include producing a detailed business case to seek funding followed by a public procurement process for the various aspects of the project."

The company said it would work with the Cairngorms National Park Authority, local businesses, community partners and other stakeholders to bring the development forward. No construction programme, cost or contractor has been announced.