Flamingo Land submits new Loch Lomond resort plans

Artist's impression of part of the planned Lomond Banks development

Flamingo Land has submitted revised plans for a controversial tourist resort on the banks of Loch Lomond.

The tourism firm withdrew a bid to build the Lomond Banks project in 2019, following more than 55,000 public objections.

But it later resurrected the plans, and is now seeking outline planning permission for the resort at Balloch.

Flamingo Land said it had made "a number of fundamental changes" to its original plans for the £40m project.

It added that it had conducted nearly 12 months of "extensive community liaison and consultation".

The original plans met with strong opposition, with campaigners against the development fearing it would spoil the scenery and limit access to the shoreline for locals.

• Loch Lomond resort bid resurrected by Flamingo Land

• Flamingo Land withdraw Loch Lomond resort bid

• Why did 55,000 object to Loch Lomond plans?

The new application will be determined by Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority.

In September 2019, officials from the authority recommended that its board reject the original plans, but the application was withdrawn before a final decision.

When Flamingo Land announced in December 2020 that it was resurrecting the project, Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer described it as "the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history".

According to the developers, the new proposals will be "centred around a new accommodation-led resort that will be devised to complement the local environment".

The revised plans for the site at Balloch include hotels, lodges, water park and craft brewery

The plans include the complete removal of any development in the ancient woodland of Drumkinnon Wood.

Other proposals include two hotels, up to 127 self-catering lodges of various sizes, a water park, restaurants, shops, a craft brewery and a monorail.

There are also plans for children's play areas outdoors, as well as picnic and barbeque areas.

In a statement, Flamingo Land said it was "breaking away from its traditional portfolio of theme parks" under the revised plans.

'Period of reflection'

Lomond Banks development director Jim Paterson said: "After an extensive period of reflection, community liaison and enhanced ecological studies to make Lomond Banks the best it can be, I am delighted to be submitting our plans and taking forward a proposal which we believe is both robust and of benefit to the local community.

"We have listened to the issues raised throughout our consultation process, and the plans now include very significant amendments to ensure Lomond Banks will be in keeping with its environment and protect its treasured assets."

He added: "Our environmental and commercial commitment to Balloch and West Riverside remains steadfast, and we want to complement what makes Loch Lomond so attractive to visitors."

'Hugely worrying'

Reacting to the new application, Mr Greer said: "This is a huge application and it's going to take us some time to digest the details, but it looks like our Save Loch Lomond campaign has scored at least one major win, the preservation of Drumkinnon Wood.

"That being said, the overall scale of the proposals are still the same, with a roughly similar number of lodges and a hotel of exactly the same capacity as last time.

"This will put huge pressure on local roads and have an obvious impact on residents."

He added: "Our concerns about continued unobstructed access to the woods for local residents also still stand, and the principle of selling off public land to a private developer like this rightly makes many people feel deeply uncomfortable, so these plans are still hugely worrying."

The proposed resort area is owned by Scottish Enterprise, which has signed an agreement obliging it to sell the site to the company upon the successful completion of the planning process.