By Democrat editor Bill Heaney
Today’s the day when the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Park Authority will publish where it stands on the plans to create Flamingo Land’s proposed leisure complex on the Banks of Loch Lomond in Balloch.
But not yet, not yet. By not releasing the recommendation document this morning the Park Authority has left itself wide open to speculation about what their report contains.
Gatekeepers in the Park HQ at Carrochan Road are fielding inquiries with the message to reporters that “it will most probably be later today”.
Which has left seasoned journalists and others speculating that it must be bad news for the 150,000 people who have signed the petition to stop Flamingo Land.
The detailed plan was published on August 22 setting out key dates and processes for the decision on the most talked and written about planning application in Scotland for years.
The decision on whether to approve or refuse the application for a proposed development at West Riverside and Woodbank House will be taken by Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park Authority Board on Monday 16th September.
The National Park Authority has published a framework document confirming the following:
- The report recommending whether Board Members should approve or refuse the application (from the National Park Authority’s Director of Place) is expected to be published on Monday 2nd September on the National Park Authority website. (But it’s not there yet at 1pm).
- Whilst this report will contain detailed technical language and refer to planning legislation, every effort is being made to make the paper as easy to understand as possible. This report is a recommendation only. The final decision whether to approve or refuse the application will be made by the National Park Authority Board on Monday 16th September.
Anticipating there may be trouble ahead and that Park board convener Dr Heather [The Weather] Reid could find herself at the centre of a political storm, they have added:
- Anyone, or any organisation, that has submitted a formal representation on the application directly to the National Park Authority, will be notified by email or letter (in line with how their formal representation was submitted to the National Park Authority) and given details on how they can request to speak at the Hearing on 16th September.
- The normal restrictions on numbers of speakers will not be applied in this case given the significant public interest and the number of representations. Depending on the number of requests to speak, a limit may have to be applied. Where appropriate, speakers will be encouraged to appoint a spokesperson to represent their collective views, particularly where there are a large number of people raising the same issues.
- The Hearing and Board Meeting on 16th September are being held in public, they are not ‘public meetings’ – which means that members of the public are welcome to observe but are not able to participate in proceedings unless they have applied to speak in advance and been confirmed as a speaker via the official process.
- Given the significant public interest in the application, the National Park Authority has opted to hold the Hearing and Board Meeting at Lomond Parish Church in Balloch to ensure that as many observers as possible are able to attend while the decision-making process remains in the local community. Lomond Parish Church can hold more than 200 people. The time of the Hearing and Board Meeting will be confirmed on Monday 2nd September 2024. (No confirmation as yet at 1pm). The Hearing and Board Meeting will be livestreamed for those unable to attend on the day. A link will be posted on the National Park Authority website and highlighted via the Park Authority’s social media channels.
- A Site Visit [at which considerable turbulence appears to be anticipated with the police having been aletered] will take place for Board Members on the morning of Monday 16th September 2024. The time and starting location of the Site Visit will be confirmed on Monday 2nd September 2024.
- Members of the public and the media may observe the Site Visit but there is no opportunity to speak or to ask questions – a site visit is an important part of the decision-making process and it is vital that it is carried out in an orderly and respectful manner to allow Board Members to receive the relevant information from those conducting the Site Visit.
“It is in everyone’s interest that the Site Visit, Public Hearing and Board Meeting on 16th September are conducted in an orderly manner and that an informed decision can be made by Board Members. Disruption on the day could result in the Site Visit being abandoned or the Hearing being adjourned and those outcomes benefit nobody.
“So I would strongly urge those with conflicting views on the application to respect the planning process and allow events on Monday 16th September to be carried out in an orderly manner. It is important that Board Members hear all viewpoints before reaching a decision.
“We are making the Hearing and Board Meeting as open and accessible as possible and have secured a large local venue for that reason. The meeting will also be streamed online for those unable to access the venue. In addition to the planning report, which will reference representations made both for and against the application, we will ensure Board Members hear from a balanced range of speakers at the Hearing to help inform their decision.
“In the meantime, we will provide regular updates to the public, to key stakeholders including Balloch and Haldane Community Council, and to the media on the process being followed.”