Flamingo Land Loch Lomond: Panel unanimously rejects plans for controversial £40 million development 

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Plans to build a £40 million holiday resort on the banks of Loch Lomond has been unanimously rejected by the national park authority.

Yorkshire-based theme park operator, Flamingo Land, had proposed to build a major development on the 18.9-hectare site - including a waterpark, hotels, restaurants, craft beer brewery, monorail and over 100 woodland lodges. 

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Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA) rejected the plans at a meeting at Lomond Parish Church in Balloch on Monday, September 16.

It comes after the National Park Authority recommended the application was refused, with concerns including flood risks and woodland loss ‘without appropriate compensatory planting’. More than 174,000 people also singed a petition objecting to the proposal. 

Dr Heather Reid, LLTNPA convener, said the plans were rejected following a ‘thorough, robust and transparent process’ including a site visit and consultation responses from local and national public bodies and members of the public.

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Plans to build a £40 million holiday resort on the banks of Loch Lomond in Balloch have been rejectedPlans to build a £40 million holiday resort on the banks of Loch Lomond in Balloch have been rejected
Plans to build a £40 million holiday resort on the banks of Loch Lomond in Balloch have been rejected

Dr Reid said: “The application considered by the board today included proposals for a significant amount of development in an area of flood risk. It was concluded that no exceptions to national policy would apply which would allow the principle of new built development to be acceptable in these areas. As such, SEPA had objected to the application.

“The development would have resulted in larger areas of woodland loss than set out by the applicant, including some areas of ancient woodland, and the proposed compensation falls significantly short of national policy requirements. This would not contribute positively to creating nature rich places or restoring local nature networks.

“Finally, it was concluded that the scale of the proposal overall was in conflict with the site’s capacity for development.”

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Plans to back the development on the banks of Loch Lomond were made by The Loch Lomond Steamship Company, Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs and by local minister Reverend Ian Miller, who said the proposal would increase employment in the area. 

James Fraser from the Friends of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs described the proposed development as ‘a last chance saloon for Balloch’ with Reverend Ian Miller adding the resort would have provided ‘gainful employment’ for young people. He said: “If there is any increase in employment I’ve got to vote for it for their sake.”

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