Lomond Banks – name for Flamingo Land or is that Iconic Leisure?
An artist’s impression of how the development at Loch Lomond would look.By Bill Heaney
BBC Scotland is reporting this morning that a company called Lomond Banks is behind the application for planning permission to create a new £30m tourist development at Loch Lomond.
Lomond Banks is the latest name to be attached to this project for which planning permission in principle has been submitted to the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Park Authority.
The name previously associated with it were Flamingo Land and Iconic Leisure, which Parkswatch Scotland allege was not formerly registered as a company when the first application, about which there has been huge controversy and 38,000 people have signed a petition against was first announced.
The Democrat disclosed at the weekend that the original application had been substantially changed.
And the proposals include a 60-bedroom apart-hotel, 32-bedroom budget accommodation, a craft brewery, boat house, leisure centre and restaurants.
There will also be upgrades to public footpaths and green spaces.
It is estimated the Lomond Banks development at Balloch would create 80 full-time jobs, 50 part-time jobs and 70 seasonal roles in the area.
Andy Miller, director of Lomond Banks company.
Lomond Banks director Andy Miller, son of the Rev Ian Miller, the well-known local clergyman in Vale of Leven, said: “As you can see from our artist impressions, we are fully committed to seeing Balloch become the true gateway to Loch Lomond.
“Our plans for West Riverside and Woodbank House offer an opportunity for a unique leisure-based development and, with Lomond Banks, Scotland will have a quality destination that respects and compliments the surrounding area.”
People who live locally will have the opportunity to view and comment on the plans as part of the planning process.
The application – put forward by Flamingo Land Limited and Scottish Enterprise – will also have to be determined by the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park planning and access committee.
The artist’s impression of the development, which has the backing of the Balloch and Haldane Community Council, and is opposed by a number of other groups shows a significant number of large new buildings in what looks like the Drumkinnon Bay area.