First Minister refuses to be drawn on calls to end Flamingo Land exclusivity agreement

John Swinney said the prospect of the plans being brought to Scottish Government ministers for an appeal means he's unable to commit to ending a controversial exclusivity arrangement.

First Minister John Swinney has refused to be drawn on calls for Flamingo Land’s exclusivity agreement over land in Balloch to be withdrawn.

Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie - who objected to the plans for a £40m tourist resort on land at West Riverside - challenged the FM at Holyrood last week to end an agreement between Scottish Enterprise and the Yorkshire-based firm, which would allow the land to be brought into community control.

It came after the plans were rejected by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park - with concerns over flooding and the impact on the natural environment cited.

If agreed, the Lomond Banks development would have seen a monorail and water park attraction, alongside a hotel, restaurants and lodges built at West Riverside.

Development chiefs still have the option to appeal the decision.

Speaking at Holyrood, Ms Baillie said: “The First Minister will be aware that there is a clause in the exclusivity agreement that allows Flamingo Land a further year to obtain planning permission. That’s either going to be through an appeal, or through a fresh application, neither of which can be achieved in that timeframe.

“So, will the First Minister, therefore, end the exclusivity agreement now, or at the very least not extend it.”

Mr Swinney refused to be drawn on the calls, citing the possibility that an appeal could end up before Scottish Ministers for scrutiny.

He responded: “I think Jackie Baillie, I can understand her interest in the question, entices me to get into the specific issues that could be material to any appeal that could come in front of Ministers.

“Jackie Baillie has long enough experience in this Parliament to know why I have to be very careful not to prejudice the position of Scottish Ministers but I hear what she said.”

Speaking after the exchange, the Labour member said: “I am not surprised John Swinney did not want to become embroiled in the debate over Flamingo Land.

“I urge the Scottish Government to listen to the community and step in to end Flamingo Land’s interest in this site, given that they have been unable to develop a plan which meets the community’s interests in a decade and time is now running out.”

Green MSP Ross Greer, who has led the campaign against the controversial development, has also written to the FM demanding an end to the agreement.

He said: “I’ve written to the First Minister to request that the Scottish Government terminate Flamingo Land’s exclusive contract with the government agency who own most of the site.

“This agreement was renewed after their first failed application in 2019, and it’s the key reason this threat has hung over the people of Balloch for a decade. It has prevented more appropriate development proposals from coming forward.”

Jim Paterson, Development Director for Lomond Banks, said: “Many members of the public have contacted us to express their disappointment at the outcome of the National Park hearing.

“This demonstrates the good relationships we have built up during our two years of extensive community engagement and meaningful dialogue with local residents, businesses and stakeholders.

“There remains solid support for our plans and ability to meet the area’s needs and aspirations for job creation, economic growth, and inward investment, whilst being sympathetic to the area’s natural beauty.

“Our exclusivity agreement with Scottish Enterprise is the result of a stringent tender process where our proposals for West Riverside were deemed to be the most feasible and closely aligned with objectives and ambitions for the local area.”

Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.