By Bill Heaney
Revised plans for the Flamingo Land development beside Loch Lomond will be re-submitted at the end of April, it was announced this week.
Work on the £40 million resort is scheduled to start next year – if it is approved by national park planners.
Developers behind the Lomond Banks project say the new date will allow the results of biodiversity surveys to be incorporated into their designs.
The original plans, which were withdrawn in 2019 after more than 60,000 objections including an online petition, were withdrawn after being recommended for refusal by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park authority planners.
But Flamingo Land says it has listened to the criticism and wants to create Scotland’s ‘most sustainable tourism resort’.
Development director Jim Paterson said: “It is clear that if we are truly committed to creating a sustainable world-class resort that celebrates the wildlife and biodiversity of Loch Lomond, that we conduct further, more extensive studies to ensure these form and dictate key elements of our proposals and we are excited to progress plans that are forward-thinking to ensure the natural beauty of the area can be celebrated for many generations to come.”
The company says that after last year’s public consultation it was decided to remove any development in the ancient woodland of Drumkinnon Wood.
They say they are now carrying out more detailed ecological studies, including surveys for birds, red squirrels and hibernating bats.
A statement to one journalist added that Applied Ecology Ltd had highlighted the importance of the ancient woodland resource within Drumkinnon Wood, especially its carpets of native bluebells.
Protesters against any development of their beloved Drumkinnon Bay at Balloch. Top picture: Campaigners against Flamingo Land development at a protest meeting.