Developers say they are ‘in discussions’ with SEPA, after the environment watchdog warned of flooding risks at Flamingo Land’s planned £40m resort on Loch Lomond.
Last week an MSP revealed that SEPA had citing a serious flood risk to a large area of the proposed site of the ‘Lomond Banks’ plan for Balloch.
SEPA’s response notes: “If these changes cannot be accommodated, then please consider this representation as an objection.”
Afterwards Flamingo Land released a statement that discussions with SEPA were ‘ongoing’, but would not say if the sections of development in the flood risk area would be removed – a condition of SEPA’s objection being lifted.
Instead Jim Paterson, development director for Lomond Banks, said: “We have been liaising with SEPA for some time with regards to our adoption of National Planning Framework 4, and are working through the flood risk assessment based on meeting the criteria set out in the agency’s policy 22 section A.
“This stipulates that they can support redevelopment of previously used sites in built-up areas where the Local Development Plan has identified the need to bring these into positive use – which our proposals for Lomond Banks clearly demonstrate.
“We will continue to work with SEPA to reach a workable conclusion, satisfactory to all parties, and to ensure we fulfil our promise for delivering the sustainable commitments intended here.”
The development at Balloch would see more than 100 self-catering lodges, two hotels, a waterpark, a monorail and 372 car parking spaces.
Currently there are 314 public objections to the plan on Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority’s website, with 31 comments in favour, but more than 73,000 people have signed an online petition by MSP Ross Greer objecting to the plan.
Last week Mr Greer said the plan had been ‘sunk’ by SEPA’s objection, adding: “With objections in from bodies like the National Trust for Scotland and now from our country’s environmental protection agency, Flamingo Land must acknowledge that their plans are well and truly sunk.
“Loch Lomond is one of the jewels in Scotland’s crown. An exclusive mega resort right on the edge of the Loch would be a scar on an iconic landscape, not to mention push it further out of reach for ordinary people.”
Details of the plans are on the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority website – the reference number is 2022/0157/PPP .
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