Meeting of the Parliament 11 June 2025
I am sorry.
Although I welcome the decision, it is important to know why it was made.
Flamingo Land’s development has been unpopular since day 1 and has received more than 150,000 objections. It was unanimously turned down by the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority, and it was opposed by expert organisations such as SEPA, the National Trust for Scotland, the Woodland Trust and Ramblers Scotland, yet it somehow managed to receive the Government’s approval.
Two weeks ago, I attended a vocal meeting of around 200 residents, which was organised by the Balloch and Haldane community council. Residents were very angry and outraged, more so because they felt that their voices had not been heard. Their submissions and protests have fallen on deaf ears in the Scottish Government. The Government is making decisions while sitting in Edinburgh, miles away from where the impact of Flamingo Land would be felt. Residents are feeling ignored and powerless. Where is the democracy in that?
Let us mention some of the factors that would be at play. The developer’s job creation figures listed 80 full-time and 120 seasonal part-time jobs, which would be minimum-wage jobs with no real prospects of career advancement or opportunities for growth. The site’s natural sensitivity makes development environmentally unacceptable. Approving the Lomond Banks development would push future flood mitigation costs on to public agencies and would normalise developers’ intrusion into protected landscapes.
Last but not least, let us not forget about the congestion that would be caused on the A82. Just imagine the A82 being jammed on a summer’s day, or the problems if somebody was drowning in Loch Lomond. I spoke with volunteers from the Loch Lomond Rescue Boat organisation who came to Parliament last week. They are not a blue-light service, and they highlighted the fact that the increased traffic would cause delays if they were called to provide help. That is not a scenario—it is the reality, and it is just one example of many.
The SNP has made a habit of intervening in planning applications. The Scottish Conservatives have obtained figures showing that, following 151 planning application appeals in 2022-23, 80 decisions, or 53 per cent, were overturned. Clearly, we know that the Scottish Government can step in, and it has done so in many other controversial decisions.
This is the fourth time that I have stood in the chamber to speak about this issue. I truly hope that it will be the last, but that might just be wishful thinking. It is our duty to protect the area for future generations. I hope that the Scottish Government has now learned its lesson when it comes to listening to the voices of communities.
16:20