Community group aim to takeover land at the heart of Balloch Flamingo Land plans

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A grassroots community group set up in opposition to Flamingo Land’s plans for a resort have launched a bid to buy the land at the heart of the development - and Balloch’s tourist information building.Balloch and Haldane Community Council is leading in the set up of the Loch Lomond South Community Development Trust (CDT) - in a bid to secure the land at West Riverside which is at the centre of £40million plans for a tourism resort.They also want to buy the tourist information building which will close next month.A crunch meeting of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park authority next month will decide the fate of the plans - developers previously dropped proposals in 2019 after they were recommended for refusal.If approved, the project would see hotels, a monorail, a water park, swimming pool, restaurants, two car parks and more than 100 forest lodges built on land at West Riverside, which is owned by Scottish Enterprise.Balloch and Haldane CC have been fierce critics of the proposals, which have been backed by neighbouring Alexandria Community Council.And the group, reformed last year, hope that the plans will be rejected - and a community buyout of the two key sites can take place.They’ve launched a Crowdfunder looking to generate £10,000 for the project.Lynne Somerville from the CC explained: “All funds raised will ensure the building and West Riverside are kept in the hands of those who care about it so that they can be used for the betterment of the local community and to create wealth and well-being opportunities for the local communities and those who regularly visit the area.“The Community Development Trust will apply to the Scottish Land Fund for funding, but this will not be for the full amount of money