Angry backlash over Flamingo Land decision

Protesters, locals and campaigners have ramped up calls for the SNP Government to overturn a decision to allow a £40million "mega resort" to be built on the banks of Loch Lomond.

- STAFF REPORTER

The long-running planning application from Flamingo Land was initially rejected by the Loch Lomond National Park authority in September last year after thousands of public objections were received.

But that decision was overturned by the Scottish Government Reporter, subject to a legal agreement between Flamingo Land and park bosses.

Protesters took to Holyrood last week and an emergency public meeting was held in Balloch on Friday night.

Flanked by protesters outside the Scottish Parliament, Green MSP Ross Greer said: "There are simply no reasons to accept this application. It would be a scar on the natural landscape of Loch Lomond, it would be devastating for the local community, and for 10 years we have successfully made that case.

"For 10 years, we have built our movement to protect Loch Lomond. At every step of the way we were successful because the argument and the evidence were on our side.

"And now, at the very end of this process, we have a Government official overturning local democracy, overturning a decision made on an incredible weight of evidence against the application.

"We now have ministers of a Scottish Government that claims to stand up for Scotland deciding that, in this case, they simply will not do so, they will allow this destructive mega resort to go ahead.

"We say, absolutely not. We can still save Loch Lomond, Government ministers still have the opportunity to recall and reject that decision."

He added: "Appallingly, when I asked the Scottish Government planning minister if they would do that, they emphatically said no. Absolutely shameful. Scottish Government ministers not willing to stand up for Scotland's world famous natural environment."