A proposed resort on the shores of Loch Lomond featuring a waterpark and monorail is due to face a final planning decision. The proposal is by theme park operator Flamingo Land, a theme park and zoo in Yorkshire that has operated since the 1950s. In April, West Dunbartonshire Council voted in favour of the Lomond Banks development - angering opponents who have protested against the controversial project. But final approval for the development rests with Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority, which has recommended against approving the £40m project.
The company behind the park - Flamingo Land Limited - submitted proposals for a tourist development at Loch Lomond, including a hotel, craft brewery and leisure centre in 2018. The plan was met with strong opposition, with an online petition against it gathering more than 55,000 signatures. In September 2019 the company withdrew its original plans, but returned in 2020 with an updated £40m ($50m) proposal featuring a water park, monorail, swimming pool, a hotel and restaurants. More than 150,000 people have signed the petition against the new proposal.
Throughout the process Flamingo Land has insisted that the development would not be a theme park, and council papers state that it would be a "a major step away" from their other resorts. The original plans were dubbed "the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history" by Ross Greer, the Scottish Greens MSP, and the revised proposal has proved just as controversial. Concerns have focused on whether the development would distort public green space in one of Scotland's most scenic areas.
In April, Lynne Somerville, the chair of Balloch and Haldane Community Council, told BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme that the plans would "dominate the whole west side of Balloch" and be a "living hell" for people living locally. However, it is not just locals who are concerned, as evidenced by the number of letters sent to the council protesting against it. Others have raised fears that the vista of Loch Lomond would be affected - damaging both a stunning view and a tourist hotspot. Additional traffic in the area is another concern. Flamingo Land estimated an additional 253 cars would be on the road during rush hour times, from 17:30 until 18:30.
The original proposals were unanimously objected to by West Dunbartonshire Council. However the local authority backed the proposal the second time around. That change of heart was greeted furiously by protestors. The company has also said the new proposal would feature visitor accommodation and walkways sympathetic to the local environment, and that public access would be maintained throughout the site.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency requested that lodges were removed from part of the site designated as a flood plain and questioned whether proposals to mitigate the risk of floods were "technically feasible." Flamingo Land stated in its plans that part of the site was exempt from the flood plain concern due to it having been in previous use as a railway line until the 1980s. Flamingo Land and Lomond Banks believe there would be considerable benefits for the local community, starting with creating around 200 jobs.
They have stated that they would use local businesses throughout the construction of the development, which they estimate would raise £3m for the local economy. The company has legally bound their promises for the area in a unilateral voluntary undertaking called "the Lomond Promise." Improvements to transport in the Loch Lomond area would also be planned, upgrading the congested Stoneymollan roundabout. Council papers state that the Ballochloan roundabout should be reprofiled as well, and that the overall development would become a "focal point" for Balloch. The same papers praise the possible monorail in particular.
The Debate Heats Up
The Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority board will now decide whether to grant planning permission. The park authority said its recommendation and report on the proposal had been published following a detailed assessment and consideration against key documents, policies and statutory requirements. The report and recommendation from national parks officers will be considered by the board when they meet to determine the planning application. A site visit will take place to allow board members to gain information ahead of the hearing. Later a range of people - including politicians and campaigners - will speak for and against the plans ahead of the final decision.
The development director behind Flamingo Land’s plans for a Balloch resort claims National Park planning officers’ recommendation to refuse the bid has been influenced by “constant misinformation”. Jim Paterson blasted “relentless rhetoric” and said the firm’s proposal for a £40million holiday resort has been “weaponised as a political football”. However campaigning MSP Ross Greer has slammed the attitude of developers - saying: “If Flamingo Land had any dignity, they would withdraw these daft plans and leave Loch Lomond in peace.”
The comments came as Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority published a 188-page report recommending board members reject the bid when it goes before crunch decision meeting next week. They cited concerns over flooding and the impact on the natural environment. Flamingo Land chiefs have urged a the National Park board to go against the recommendations and green light the project.
Traffic Concerns and the Environment
FLAMINGO Land’s plans to develop on the banks of Loch Lomond would make traffic problems in the area “dramatically worse”, the Greens have said as they pointed to the developers’ own impact assessments. The warning comes just days before the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority board issues its final decision on whether the theme park will be allowed to go ahead with its Lomond Banks proposals. The plans – which have been recommended for refusal by park officials – would see a resort built at Balloch, including two hotels, 100 self-catering lodges, 21 apartments in a refurbished Woodbank House, a monorail, a waterpark, restaurants, a pub and craft brewery, and a retail area.
Locals have raised concerns about the impact on traffic congestion in the area, which is already notorious for long delays, especially around the A82 Stoneymollan roundabout. Green MSP Ross Greer, who has been leading his party’s campaign against the development, pointed to assessments from engineering consultancy Stantec and commissioned by Flamingo Land about how the development could impact traffic.
One assessment, conducted in February, concluded that at maximum capacity 82 “passenger car units” (PCUs) could queue between the Stoneymollan roundabout and the nearby Old Luss Road roundabout – which under the development plans would become a key access point. The assessment said that queues of 77 cars could be projected to occur between the two roundabouts. As this was five below maximum capacity, it concluded that "at no point will the queue extend back to the Stoneymollan roundabout junction".
Elsewhere, the assessment said the development could was “forecast to generate 146 two-way trips (arrivals and departures) during the weekday morning peak hour and 253 two-way trips during the weekday evening peak hour”. “In addition, the proposed development is forecast to generate a total of 167 two-way trips during a Saturday peak hour,” it added. In March, Lomond Banks said it had reached an agreement with Transport Scotland to address acknowledged “concern” around the impact of the development on congestion issues in the area. Developers said they would ensure they were “directly supporting and prioritising Transport Scotland’s proposals for upgrades to the Stoneymollan roundabout” in a bid to ease congestion.
Greer said the extra traffic would make the congestion in the notoriously troublesome area “dramatically worse”. “Cramming an extra 250 extra cars an hour onto already congested roads around the south and west of Loch Lomond would be disastrous for local residents, visitors and for the environment,” the West of Scotland MSP said. “These ridiculous mega-resort plans would see Balloch overwhelmed on any day with a decent weather forecast. Local residents already struggle to get in and out of their own community on such busy days. Flamingo Land’s own traffic assessment shows that their plans would make the problems on and around the A82 dramatically worse. This report is yet another glaring reason why the park board must reject such daft plans on Monday. Not only would it be devastating for our local environment, it would also be harmful for the people who live in Balloch and other local communities.”
A Controversial Decision
The national park board will issue its final decision on Monday September 16. Developers will still be able to appeal to Scottish Ministers if the plans are rejected. The Greens have set up a petition opposing the plans which has gathered more than 150,000 signatures, but Paterson called that petition a “sham” and insisted there is “simply no way to validate the numbers”. Veteran Lomond ward councillor Martin Rooney however believes that rejecting the plans could have a negative impact on the local economy. He told the Lennox: “I have said all along that this was a matter for the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Board as they are the planning authority. Taking cognisance of the reasons for the planning officers recommendations, it will be for the Board members to consider the merits of the application on planning grounds when they take a decision on this matter. Depending on the outcome, Lomond Banks would of course have the option to appeal the decision. The West Riverside area has been earmarked for development for around thirty years and this is the only developer who has come forward with concrete plans to invest £40 million to enhance the tourism accommodation offer in Balloch, attracting more visitors and creating jobs for local people. If the planning application is rejected, then we will likely be waiting another thirty years before another one comes along.”
That frustration was shared by Bonhill SNP member Ian Dickson. He commented: “Refusing planning permission would be a lost opportunity for locals. I have reviewed the plans, weighing up the pros and cons as the plans evolved. If permission is denied, we will lose well over a hundred jobs paying the Real Living Wage, supply contracts with local businesses, improved access to lit woodland walks, a commitment to build with eco-friendly materials, and financial support to upgrade Stoneymollan Roundabout. Objections often refer to rollercoasters and theme parks, highlighting just how much misinformation surrounds this proposal. Even the title of the Green Party’s petition to ‘Save Loch Lomond’ is disingenuous as most of the development is on the River Leven and not the loch. I have therefore added my conditional support to that of the previous Balloch and Haldane Community Council, the current Alexandria Community Council, the Friends of Loch Lomond and Trossachs charity, and numerous other locally owned businesses and individuals, whose comments online are often a concise ‘get it built’. I truly believe this development can be beneficial for our area and I hope the decision makers dare to see through all the noise.”
Earlier this year, West Dunbartonshire Council elected to remain neutral on the plans, having opposed the first proposal whilst Jonathan McColl was leader of the authority. Speaking last week, Councillor McColl - who represents the Lomond ward where the development would be built and now sits as an independent after leaving the SNP last month- said: “This is fantastic news and while the final decision will be made by the planning board. This is a significant step that makes it more likely that common sense will prevail, and the application will be refused. The applicant’s plans have been amended since their original application, but they have not done enough to address public concerns and the proposal still represents an over development of this naturally biodiverse area; I’m pleased that this has been recognised by the planning officer. The applicant also failed to take SEPA’s concerns seriously, and instead of addressing those concerns, chose to write back telling SEPA they were wrong and didn’t have grounds to object. I’m glad SEPA didn’t back down and maintained their objection, and it’s reassuring to see the planning officer taking this into account in their recommendation. I hope that Lomond Banks recognises that local people do not want this development, and that we now have the backing of planning officials. They should withdraw their application, walk away and leave the people of Balloch in peace.”
He also pledged to write to the Scottish Government to demand an end to the agreement between Scottish Enterprise and the developers to sell the land.
The future of the Loch Lomond resort project remains uncertain. The outcome of the National Park Authority's decision will have a significant impact on the development's fate and the future of this iconic Scottish landscape.
