Campaigners who successfully fought plans for a £40million resort on the banks of Loch Lomond are confident their voices will prevail after the developer lodged an appeal.
Theme park operator Flamingo Land had hoped to build the tourist attraction at West Riverside, in Balloch, but those plans were booted out by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park authority last September.
However, Flamingo Land bosses last month confirmed they have lodged an appeal against that refusal with the Scottish Government.
The bid, which included two hotels, hundreds of lodges and parking spaces, shops, eateries and a monorail, was deemed too large and environmentally damaging for the area by members of the park’s planning board.
Local campaigners, who have spent years fighting the proposals, are confident the recent efforts of Balloch and Haldane Community Council (BHCC) and the newly established Loch Lomond South Community Development Trust (LLSCDT) means the Scottish Government will find it hard to ignore the community voice.
BHCC chairwoman Lynne Somerville said: “ We have it on strong grounds from our legal representative and planning expert, Ian Cowan, appointed by the Green Party on the back of the public crowdfunding, that the developer is wasting everyone’s time.
“We seriously doubt the appeal will be successful as it contradicts multiple Scottish Government policies and National Park objectives.”
She added: “The communities of Balloch and Haldane must be afforded the same rights as every other community across Scotland, per the 2015 Community Empowerment Act.
“As it stands, the exclusivity agreement that is in place with the developer means our communities are being unfairly discriminated against to satisfy a commercial agreement that was reached without any public input or consultation.”
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The decade-long fight between the Yorkshire-based developer and the local community of Balloch, Loch Lomond reached a controversial outcome when the LLTNP Authority voted unanimously against the development.
Lynne says it’s hoped that if the appeal is rejected, it would pave the way for the groups to take on buildings and land that Flamingo Land had included in their proposals, passing them into community ownership and offering an alternative solution that would not overwhelm the area or have a detriment environmental or economic impact.
One of the key issues raised by the campaigners was a lack of adequate consultation with surrounding communities.
Volunteers have stressed that they welcome inward investment but the importance lies in maintaining a balance between development and conservation, ensuring that any new projects prioritise sustainability and respect for the natural environment.
One other local campaigner said: “We believe it is essential that the voices of the local community are heard.
“Loch Lomond is a national treasure, and it’s not just about preserving its beauty but also protecting the livelihoods of those who depend on it.
“Our volunteers have been working hard to ensure that this issue doesn’t get sidelined, and we are confident that, with continued support, we will secure a future where the community’s interests are properly represented.”
As part of the campaign, volunteers have been pushing for more of local residents to get involved in any way they can.
They are also calling for the establishment of a dedicated steering group made up of local residents, environmentalists, and business owners, to help guide any future developments in a way that balances progress with the preservation of Loch Lomond’s exceptional natural resources.
Announcing the plans to appeal the decision last month, Jim Paterson, Development Director for Lomond Banks, said: “We have submitted our appeal for our Lomond Banks development to the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) in line with the timings outlined to us via letter from Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park.
“We wholeheartedly believe in the many benefits Lomond Banks could bring to Balloch, the Vale of Leven and Scotland as a whole and ask the DPEA for a fair hearing and to consider the facts of the proposals.
“In socioeconomic terms, the level of financial investment and jobs together with the consideration and conservation of the natural environment, offers a notable boost and we have been urged by members of the local community to drive forward with the appeal in the hope that the many benefits this development would bring can be unlocked and brought to fruition.
“Our final proposals were adapted to reflect more than two years of ongoing community engagement to ensure our outline plans really showcase the suitability for the site at Balloch, factoring in some of the key considerations highlighted throughout this planning journey so far, including jobs, training, transport and working with the local supply chain not to mention an additional £3.9m of annual spending coming in to the local economy.
“The Lomond Promise – our unilateral legally binding agreement – outlines our commitment to ensuring local people and local businesses greatly benefit from the development, and we would ask the DPEA reporters to consider our proposal, currently at planning permission in principle (PPiP) stage on its true merit.”
Green MSP Ross Greer said the appeal was a “nightmare before Christmas” for locals who fought for years against the plans.
He blasted: “This is desperate behaviour from a greedy company who refuse to accept that their absurd plans are not welcome at Loch Lomond. The Scottish Government must listen to the community and the experts, reject this appeal and protect a world famous Scottish landscape.
“It is frustrating that their appeal has been enabled by the exclusive government contract I urged the First Minister to end back in September. Frankly, it should never have been renewed after their first failed bid in 2019. This saga has gone on for years longer than it needed to.
“Our campaign to save Loch Lomond from Flamingo Land’s destructive proposals secured a record 155,000 objections. The National Park’s own planning officers even agreed that it must be rejected, as did Scotland’s national environment watchdog, SEPA. It really is a nightmare before Christmas to hear that this greedy developer just won’t take no for an answer.”
The appeal has been welcomed by a former Loch Lomond tourism chief. James Fraser, recently chairman of the Friends of Loch Lomond, commented: “ The former derelict and still polluted site at West Riverside, along with the derelict Woodbank Hotel near Loch Lomond Shores, have long been zoned for tourism in key planning documents.
“The appeal process will allow a thorough review of the project’s merits, including its significant economic benefits in an area with high unemployment. The proposed development’s proximity to public transport and waterbus hubs also enhances its potential to be a nature-positive, carbon-neutral, and thriving gateway to Loch Lomond.”
Dumbarton’s Labour MSP Jackie Baillie said: “It’s because of the feeling in the community and within the area that I have represented for 25 years, that I asked the First Minister to step in and end Scottish Enterprise’s agreement which ties Flamingo Land to the site. Unfortunately, as is often the case with the Scottish Government, these pleas fell on deaf ears.”
The period for interested members of the public to make representation ends on January 17 and can be made by contacting [email protected].