Greer threatens legal action if ministers back Flamingo Land plan at Loch Lomond

The Scottish Government could face legal action if ministers approve a controversial development on the banks of Loch Lomond, Scottish Green co-leader Ross Greer has said.

Lomond Banks – owned by the theme park operator Flamingo Land – has proposed a major development at Balloch, West Dunbartonshire, but there has been a long-running campaign against the plans.

The proposals include the building of more than 100 lodges, two hotels, a water park, monorail and parking spaces for more than 300 cars at the site.

Earlier this year, a Scottish Government planning official overruled the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority’s unanimous decision to reject the proposals.

But minister Ivan McKee later announced he would call-in the application for ministerial approval – after previously having said he would not do so – with a report believed to now be on his desk for consideration.

Speaking to the PA news agency on Thursday as campaigners gathered outside Holyrood, Mr Greer – a figurehead of the push against the development – said: “If the Government give approval to such a ridiculously daft development, a development with so much evidence against it, we will be looking at our options for legal redress.”

Mr Greer has previously questioned the process followed by ministers in calling in the application, including the decision to refer the reconsideration to the same official who approved the plans earlier this year, which the Green MSP said allows the official to “mark his own homework”.

The party co-leader added: “We don’t want to get to that stage.

“The evidence against Flamingo Land is so clear, so overwhelming, that’s why 150,000 people objected.

“It’s why the Woodland Trust, the National Trust, Ramblers Scotland objected, it’s why the national park expert planning officers rejected it, and why the national park’s board unanimously rejected it.

“If the Government listened to that and threw this out, we can all finally move on.

“If the Government go against all that evidence and cave in to this greedy company after such a questionable process, then we will continue to look at the options available to us and, at that point, when you’ve escalated beyond the Government, the options available are to go through the courts.”

Mr Greer’s position was supported by local MSP – and Scottish Labour deputy leader – Dame Jackie Baillie, as well as leading campaigner for Save Loch Lomond Sam Paton.

Dame Jackie told PA the process had been “flawed”, while Ms Paton said her group will “100%” support court action and help to crowdfund it.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: “An independent reporter has issued a decision intimating that he is minded to grant planning permission in principle for the proposal, subject to 49 planning conditions subject to a legal agreement being reached between the national park authority and developer to secure the employment and environment issues that are set out in the Lomond Promise.

“As the appeal remains live, it would not be appropriate to comment further on the merits of the proposed development.”