AN MSP has slammed the company behind Flamingo Land as they plan to go ahead with the plan to build a mega-resort at Loch Lomond despite flooding warning.
The proposed development would see the construction of two hotels, 104 woodland lodges, a waterpark and a monorail on a site near the village of Balloch in West Dunbartonshire.
Plans for the mega-resort have been ongoing for nearly a decade, with the most recent having more than 80,000 objections, one of which is from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
The environmental watchdog has said the plan to build lodges will need to change as their proposed site for building them is a serious flood risk, but developers have said their plans are covered as the site was previously used.
READ MORE: Flamingo Land resort plans at risk over threat of flood risk objection
The area where the proposed lodges are to be built had been a railway until 1986.
Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer (below) has called the bosses behind the proposed theme park “grossly irresponsible” and has called for their plans to be rejected by the National Park Authority.
He said: “Flamingo Land’s arrogant dismissal of SEPA’s flood warnings just shows how grossly irresponsible this company is. “They are not fit to take over one of the most important spots on the shores of Loch Lomond.
“They’ve had every opportunity to scale back their plans, to address the flood risk and the concern of local residents, but they are far more interested in squeezing out every last penny of profit from the Loch.
“Balloch does not want or need over a hundred woodland lodged and almost four hundred parking spaces, never mind a waterpark, hotel and monorail scarring one of Scotland’s most iconic landscapes.
“These plans go against national and local planning policy on just about every conceivable level, which should make it easy for the National Park’s board to reject them and end the near-decade of stress and anxiety faced by local residents.
“Instead of choosing to avoid building on a flood plain, Flamingo Land has decided to argue words and definitions with our national environmental watchdog.
“The fact that this part of the site had a railway on it 40 years ago will be irrelevant when it's underwater."
Additionally, the amount of traffic the resort has predicted has also increased.
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Previously submitted plans said there would be an increase of 158 additional journeys during the peak hour of 5.30-6.30pm, but that number has been updated to 253.
The increase in traffic around the area is also a concern which Greer has highlighted as he said: “The revelation that there will be more than 250 extra cars on the road at peak hours should ring alarm bells for anyone already familiar with the problems on the A82.
“Their offer of a £115,000 contribution towards tweaking a roundabout will make absolutely no difference in the face of that much extra traffic.”
However, Flamingo Land’s developers have said they have addressed SEPA’s response fully and are working on progressing the application to build a “world-class” theme park.
The firm behind the £40m Loch Lomond development has said it will bring considerable economic and social benefits to the area.
Jim Paterson, development director for Lomond Banks, said: “We take our obligations as a responsible developer very seriously and have addressed SEPA’s response fully, providing extensive evidence on how we meet the guidelines, including specific mitigation measures relating to the new NPF4 levels.
“The latest documentation has been submitted and is under review by Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park as the planning authority, and SEPA as a statutory consultee.
“We remain in ongoing dialogue with both parties.
“It’s our firm belief that our £40m sustainable world-class Lomond Banks development will bring considerable economic and social benefit to the region and we look forward to progressing with the application in due course.”
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