A proposed holiday resort on the shores of Loch Lomond should not be allowed to go ahead, a national park officer has concluded.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Party Authority (LLTNPA) have recommended against planning permission for the controversial £40m Flamingo Land development.
The Lomond Banks project would see 104 lodges built, two hotels, a waterpark, monorail and 372 parking spaces, as well as shops and staff accommodation.
The lengthy report by LLTNPA’s director of place cited concerns over flood risks and the impact on the surrounding environment.
In addition, the removal and clearance of trees and woodland without appropriate compensatory planting would not deliver the “required significant biodiversity enhancements” needed to support the park’s response to the nature and climate crises.
The authority said: “Following a detailed assessment, the scale of the proposal overall is considered to be in conflict with the site’s capacity for development.”
West Dunbartonshire Council is not opposed to the planning permission in principle, but more than 150,000 people have signed a Scottish Greens petition against it.
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The report is a recommendation only – with the decision to approve or refuse the application to be taken by the authority board on 16 September.
Given the significant public interest in the application, the hearing and board meeting will take place at Lomond Parish Church in Balloch to allow as many people as possible to attend.
A site visit will take place in the morning to allow board members to gain information about the land or buildings relative to the proposed development, allowing them to gain a greater understanding of the site and its surroundings.
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Jim Paterson, development director for Lomond Banks, said: “We are extremely disappointed with the recommendation made by the case officer.
“We believe we have met all technical criteria set out for the site in the local development plan and have exceeded requirements in terms of our legally binding promises to the local community.
“We remain committed to our plans, which we believe would bring about huge benefits to the Balloch community and beyond.
“These include £40m of sustainable investment and jobs shaped by the feedback from key stakeholders.”
Mr Paterson urged the national park board to “consider the many merits this application presents”.
He added: “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.”
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Meanwhile, the Scottish Greens are calling for the “destructive” plans to be withdrawn in the wake of the report.
The original proposal, which was withdrawn in 2019 before Flamingo Land returned with a revised plan the following year, was branded “the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history” by Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer.
Mr Greer said: “This devastating report is surely the end of the road for Flamingo Land’s ludicrous plans.
“After dragging this sorry saga out for a decade, they now need to withdraw the proposal and leave Loch Lomond alone.”
The MSP said the “mega-resort” would “overwhelm the local area and scar one of Scotland’s most iconic natural landscapes”.
He added: “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.”
