Flamingo Land's Loch Lomond resort bid ends in failure as park bosses unanimously reject it

Flamingo Land’s bid to build a huge holiday resort on the banks of Loch Lomond has ended in failure after it was rejected by National Park bosses tonight.

The Yorkshire theme park operator’s controversial £40million plan was thrown out after a marathon six-hour public meeting in Balloch, West Dunbartonshire.

Board members rejected the application unanimously by 14 votes to 0. The announcement sparked wild cheering and applause on an emotional night for campaigners. It marks a momentous victory for activists who have fought the proposals for nearly a decade.

The Scottish Greens claim the bid is the most objected to planning application of all time - with a petition on the party’s website garnering more than 170,000 signatures.

The proposed 46-acre resort, dubbed ‘Lomond Banks’, would have seen 104 woodland lodges, two hotels, a waterpark, monorail, 372 car parking spaces, shops and more built on the Bonnie Banks.

READ MORE: Flamingo Land Loch Lomond D-Day as park bosses to make final decision on £40m bid

READ MORE: Flamingo Land's exclusive rights to Loch Lomond land 'must end if resort bid fails'

Speaking after the decision, Dr Heather Reid, convener of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Board, said: “Today the National Park Authority Board unanimously refused a planning application for a major tourism development at West Riverside and Woodbank House in Balloch…

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

Welcoming the news, campaigning MSP Ross Greer said: “This is a huge victory for my Balloch constituents and for our long-running campaign to save Loch Lomond.

“Residents have been united against this daft plan from the start, stepping up to defend one of Scotland's iconic landscapes.

“After almost a decade, this is the result the community and campaigners deserve.”

Jim Paterson, Development Director for Lomond Banks, said: “We are disappointed but not surprised as we anticipated this decision following the case officer’s earlier recommendation.

“We believe we have a really strong case.”

In a lengthy and heated public hearing in Lomond Parish Church in Balloch, speakers for and against the plan made their cases to 14 members of the Park Authority board.

It followed an inspection of the proposed development in Balloch along the shores of Loch Lomond by board members this morning. Opening the public hearing, Dr Reid said the larger venue had been chosen due to “exceptional levels of interest” as she urged people not to let their passions “spill over into disruption”.

Despite the plea, local residents furious about the proposals repeatedly made their voices heard from the audience, heckling advocates for the scheme and loudly cheering and applauding speeches from objectors.

The meeting began with a near hour-long presentation from park planning officials who earlier this month recommended refusal for the project. They detailed their reasons including flood risk and loss of woodland - with the crucial factor being that the plan conflicted with the National Park’s core aim of conserving the area’s natural and cultural heritage.

That was chiefly due to the massive scale of the project, which it’s feared will pile pressure on nature and environment as well as local roads and infrastructure. Planners added any socio-economic benefits were not considered a significant factor that would outweigh the adverse impacts identified.

Steve Cullen, speaking on behalf of Lomond Banks developers, said: “We are surprised at the National Park view that a £40million investment with 200 constructive jobs is minor.”

Advocates for the scheme insisted it would be a shot in the arm for the local economy, bringing good jobs and enhanced tourism. But six speakers including MSPs Ross Greer of the Greens and Labour’s Jackie Baillie spoke out against the proposal.

West Scotland MSP Greer drew attention to Flamingo Land’s previous failed bid in 2019 for a Loch Lomond resort which was withdrawn amid local anger. The campaigning MSP said: “Developers had the opportunity to scale down and they didn’t.”

He said the size of the proposed resort has always been the biggest issue and warned the plan could damage the economy by taking tourism business away from local firms. Greer said it was “fundamentally the same application” as in 2019, with his closing remarks receiving loud cheers and applause.

Scottish Labour deputy chief Baillie, MSP for Dumbarton, said there had been some improvements made on the original application but it was still “not good enough”. She added she was “not convinced the economic benefits outweighed” environmental concerns.

Lynne Somerville, chair of Balloch and Haldane Community Council which opposes the plan, also earned loud applause as she made her case.

She told the meeting the community council supports inward investment to the area but that it needs to be “appropriate”.

Somerville said any proposal “must not sacrifice the essence of Loch Lomond” and said the role of the National Park “is to protect, not destroy”.

Simon Ritchie of Woodland Trust Scotland said it would have “entirely unacceptable impact on precious, long-established… woodland”. He added: “That to us is certain… This land is important and must be protected.”

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