Petition against Loch Lomond scheme is branded a ‘sham’ by developer

THE company behind a controversial development at Loch Lomond has branded a petition which garnered more than 65,000 signatures against the proposals “a sham”.

Flamingo Land is looking to build a £40million development near Balloch, including a hotel, selfcatering lodges and a water park.

However, the Scottish Greens – in particular the West Scotland MSP Ross Greer – have led a high-profile campaign to stop the development, with the party claiming 65,000 people signed a petition to voice their opposition.

They said the response makes it the most unpopular planning application in Scottish history.

The current plans are the second attempt by the Yorkshire-based firm to build on the land at Loch Lomond, having previously withdrawn their first application in 2019.

Speaking after the petition reached more than 65,000 signatures, Jim Paterson, the development director of the project, hit out at Mr Greer – who has been an outspoken voice against the

Loch Lomond plans since their first iteration.

“Ross Greer has once again demonstrated that he is more interested in clickbait politics aimed at raising his own profile than having a constructive dialogue about what could be a major investment into both the local economy in Balloch and Scotland as a whole,” he said. “He has relentlessly tried to interfere with a statutory planning process that doesn’t sit within his jurisdiction and – in a shameless attempt to get people to click his online petition – the majority of the claims he has made about our proposals are utterly false.

“There is simply no way to validate the numbers he is quoting and who the people who clicked his sham petition are or where they live.”

According to the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority, the body tasked with deciding if the plans should go ahead, “any individual, group or organisation can make comments of objection or support for a planning application while it is open for consultation”.

Along with Mr Greer, the National Trust for Scotland, Forestry Scotland and Ramblers Scotland have also voiced their objection to the plans.