Campaigners deliver 10,000 posters opposing Flamingo Land

Dozens of activists took part in a Balloch action day against Flamingo Land’s proposed mega-resort, with the campaign organised by Green MSP Ross Greer.

Campaigners and local residents joined Mr Greer to deliver 10,000 posters to homes in Balloch and neighbouring communities. 

The £40 million Lomond Banks development, by Yorkshire company Flamingo Land, would see a resort featuring a waterpark, monorail, 104 woodland lodges, two hotels, 372 car parking spaces, shops and restaurants built at Balloch, at the southern tip of the loch.

The operator claims the project would create hundreds of jobs and raise around £3m for the local economy. But the proposals have sparked widespread opposition, with many believing the natural landscape should be preserved at all costs.

Mr Greer said: “For almost a decade now the Scottish Greens have worked with the local community to stop Flamingo Land’s destructive plans. Residents oppose the mega-resort by a margin of three to one and these posters will let them show that opposition. I’m so grateful to our dozens of volunteers and to everyone whose donations made this action day possible.

“This is now by far the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history, with over 150,000 people lodging their objections, alongside organisations including the National Trust for Scotland and Woodland Trust.

“Flamingo Land’s plans include two hotels, over 100 lodges, a water park, monorail, events areas, 372 parking spaces and more. It’s simply far too big and far too damaging to a world-famous natural landscape. Their own estimates show that this would lead to an extra 250 cars on the road every hour at peak times. When the A82 already grinds to a halt as soon as the sun comes out, that level of additional congestion and pollution would be totally unacceptable.” More than 150,000 people have signed an online petition opposing the plans.

The developers say the plans, which were redrawn in 2022 after a previous application from 2016 was scrapped, will have “minimal impact” on existing roads, which can be busy with visitors.

They have also signed up to the ‘Lomond promise’, a voluntary undertaking that legally binds the developer into obligations such as no zero-hour contracts, job and training opportunities for local people and real living wages.

Flamingo Land has been approached for comment.