50,000 objections show strength of feelings about Loch Lomond – Bill Jamieson

A planned new development in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs national park has sparked a bellwether protest, writes Bill Jamieson.

Opposition to a planned development at Balloch has been fierce (Picture: Robert Perry)

I was guilty of grievous understatement two weeks ago when I wrote I was “minded to be cautious” on the £30 million Loch Lomond tourist development with a 60-bedroom apart-block, a 32-bedroom budget hotel, leisure centre and restaurants.

Cautious, be damned. Since the Lomond Banks application at Balloch by Flamingo Land Limited and Scottish Enterprise was unveiled last month, more than 50,000 objections have been lodged.

Despite the promise of new jobs and improved road access, local opposition has been fierce. Campaigners fear the project will spoil the scenery and limit access to the shoreline for locals.

And previous nearby development plans have been jinxed. As I pointed out, plans for similar development at Loch Lomond Shores years ago came to nothing.

Developers may have thought that with budget accommodation, a shiny new leisure centre and a soothing artist’s impression, they were in with a shout.

But the scale and vehemence of objections to the latest plan point to a pronounced shift of mood among the public.

Alannah Maurer, of the Save Loch Lomond campaign, argues that “a national park is a theme park in its own right, a natural theme park and in this time of climate change we should be looking at conserving that natural theme park. Those buildings will dominate the scenery, they will dominate the village of Balloch.”

Scottish Enterprise director Allan McQuade says “due process will be followed in terms of the planning process”.

But the Loch Lomond and Trossachs Park Authority that will decide on the fate of the scheme may be mindful of a broader change of mood underway on developments of this sort.

Today there is greater concern, not only on climate change but also on sustainability, heritage and environmental protection. And this is, after all, in a national park, set up to protect our stunning landscapes and environment.

Budget hotels and leisure centres can also quickly become tacky, and the park has already fought a long battle to clear the shores of litter, abandoned camp equipment and detritus. Here particularly, it should stick to its brief.