Flamingo Land Loch Lomond resort plans 'should be rejected'

A proposed holiday resort on the shores of Loch Lomond should not be allowed to go ahead, national parks officers have said.

West Dunbartonshire Council did not oppose Flamingo Land’s Lomond Banks development at Balloch - despite more than 150,000 people signing a petition against the £40m project.

However, the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority has recommended against the proposals being approved, citing concerns over flood risks and the impact on the surrounding environment.

The developer said it was "extremely disappointed" by the recommendation but remained committed to the project.

A final vote on the plans, which include a waterpark, hotel, monorail and restaurants, is due to be held later this month.

The 188-page report into the development said it would be in an area of “flood risk”.

It added the removal of trees and woodland without planting to make up for the loss of foliage would not fail to deliver “significant biodiversity enhancements” needed to tackle the National Parks’ response to the climate crises.

It said: “The scale of the proposal overall is considered to be in conflict with the site’s capacity for development.”

The Scottish Greens have called for the “destructive” plans to be withdrawn in the wake of the report.

The original plans, which were withdrawn in 2019, were dubbed "the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history" by Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer.

Flamingo Land, which has operated a theme park and zoo in Yorkshire since the 1950s, returned with revised proposals in 2020.

The plans include the complete removal of any development in the ancient woodland of Drumkinnon Wood.

The company has insisted through the process that the development would not be a theme park.

But local campaigners have said the development would “dominate” one of the country’s most scenic areas and fear the local area could be irreparably damaged.

Mr Greer has said the plans should now be thrown out altogether

He said: “This devastating report is surely the end of the road for Flamingo Land’s ludicrous plans.

“Over 151,000 people have already joined us in saying no to these daft plans, with hundreds more doing it every day.

"It is utterly staggering that Flamingo Land has spent years ignoring the clear opposition of the local community and of people across Scotland. They have chosen to inflict so much stress and misery on local people. Now it is time for them to walk away and accept that they have lost.”

A final decision will be taken at a meeting on 16 September.

Jim Paterson, development director for Lomond Banks, said he was "extremely disappointed" by the recommendation, but added that the firm remained committed to the project.

He said it "would bring about huge benefits to the Balloch community and beyond".

Mr Paterson continued: “We would urge the National Park board to consider the many merits this application presents.

“As this is a Planning Permission in Principle, the next detailed planning stage gives ample opportunity to ensure all specific concerns relating to the development are met and acknowledged far in advance.”