Behind the scheme is Mr Rudi Prochaska, proprietor of Badenoch Ski School, and his application for outline permission was granted by the Highland planning committee when they met at Inverness last Wednesday.

It also, however, requires the approval of the Scottish Secretary, as the area involved lies within a grade-one Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) , and the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) have just lodged an objection to the proposal.

The site, at the east side of Drumochter Pass, is below Meall a' Chaorainn and has a shallow gully running from 900 to 700 metres above sea level.

The proposal is to erect two or three ski tows in this area.

The slope then steepens considerably before levelling out on a hummocky area about 200 metres east of the A9, and it is intended that a chairlift from there to the skiing area should be built.

The first phase of the development would be the construction of a surfaced car park, with an associated building for machinery spares, shelter, refreshments and toilets; chairlift access and two tows within the area.

A similar building would also be provided near the top of the access chairlift to serve the ski slopes.

Among other comments, a 10-point planning appraisal stated: "Excluding beginners in the ski area not using uplift machinery, stage one of the proposal would cater for about 320 people using the facilities at any one time. Allowing the development of another tow, a maximum of 600 or so could be using the facility at any one time.

"The proposals put forward by the applicant are extremely modest in scale, covering only a very small three per cent section of the SSSI, and meet the criteria set out by the NCC. The scheme would assist the development of the ski schools in Upper Speyside which are currently some distance from the CairnGorm facilities."

In his statement, Mr Prochaska, who is chairman of the Association of Ski Schools of Great Britain, said: "The proposed development area has been closely monitored by us since 1964, and we have found that the snow holding in this area is well worth developing.

"I have also [been] working in close co-operation with the local villages and hoteliers between Kincraig and Pitlochry, and the general consensus is that they are well in favour of the new development to complement the existing skiing on CairnGorm."

In addition to the NCC, objections were forwarded from the Scottish Wildlife Trust, the RSPB, the tenants of South Drumochter Farm, and the neighbouring landowner in Tayside Region. Nevertheless, the planning committee gave outline consent, subject to 11 conditions.