Save Loch Lomond: Minister recalls Flamingo Land appeal
The Scottish Greens are celebrating a huge win as Flamingo Land’s appeal to build a mega-resort on the banks of Loch Lomond has been recalled by Scottish Ministers.
The National Park’s board unanimously rejected the development in September after receiving objections from expert groups including environment watchdog SEPA as well as a record 155,000 individuals. Flamingo Land appealed this decision with the Scottish Government, whose officials overturned the Park board’s decision and granted it permission to go ahead two weeks ago.
When challenged by Scottish Green MSPs Ross Greer and Patrick Harvie both the Planning Minister and First Minister refused to use their powers to recall the application and make the final decision themselves.
Following further pressure, including 50,000 individuals emailing the Planning Minister directly, the Scottish Government announced tonight that Ministers would recall the application.
The destructive development could see 127 woodland lodges, two hotels, over 370 parking spaces, a water park, monorail and much more on a sensitive site by the loch shore at Balloch. The campaign against Flamingo Land over the last decade has been spear-headed by Mr Greer. It became the most objected to planning application in Scottish history, with over 155,000 individual objections, as well as those from groups including the Woodland Trust and National Trust for Scotland.
Mr Greer said:
"This is the right move by Ministers and a huge victory for the fifty thousand people who joined the Scottish Greens' campaign for the decision to be recalled. I am glad that Ivan McKee has decided to do the right thing and use his power to intervene to protect Loch Lomond from destruction.
"The evidence of the damage it would do to one of Scotland's most iconic locations is overwhelming. Once Ministers consider the flood risk, loss of ancient woodland, hundreds of additional cars which would be brought onto notoriously congested roads and the litany of other devastating impacts it would have, I am sure they will reject the mega-resort application and finally end this decade-long saga.
"People across Scotland expect their Government to protect our natural heritage. Given previous mistakes, including the approval of Donald Trump's golf course despite local objections and serious environmental concerns, this is an opportunity for Ministers to show that they have learned and will now put people and planet ahead of greedy developers."
