Flamingo Land’s bid to build £40m Loch Lomond resort set to be endorsed by councillors

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Campaigners have reacted with fury after Flamingo Land’s controversial bid to build a £40million holiday resort on the shores of Loch Lomond was backed by council planners.A community group has issued a rallying call for residents to protest next week when West Dunbartonshire Council meets to discuss the plans.Officials at the local authority have urged councillors to endorse the development - provided it comes with road improvements including a roundabout upgrade.But the move sparked anger from residents who have long said a resort on this scale would spoil the iconic Loch Lomond landscape and put too much pressure on roads, infrastructure and nature.The Yorkshire theme park operator’s proposals for the beauty spot include a water park, monorail, swimming pool, hotel, eateries and more than 100 lodges.Local mum Lynne Somerville, chair of Balloch and Haldane Community Council, slammed the council planners for recommending approval of the plans, saying: “They should be listening to what the community is asking for - we don’t want Flamingo Land.“We are not parochial or insular, we want inward investment but it needs to be the correct investment - this is not the correct investment.”She is urging residents to make their voices heard at next Wednesday’s council meeting in Dumbarton as she accused the local authority of a u-turn.

Councillors opposed the original bid back in 2019.Ms Somerville said: “It’s questionable why they’ve changed that opinion. It doesn’t make any sense and it stinks to the high heavens.”Campaigning Green MSP Ross Greer hit out: “Balloch does not want or need over 100 woodland lodges and almost 400 parking spaces, never mind a waterpark, hotel and monorail scarring one of Scotland’s most iconic