John Swinney was unable to give assurances that Flamingo Land's exclusive contract for the site of their Lomond Banks application would be cancelled after Ross Greer demanded it was. 

The Scottish Greens MSP was a key campaigner against the development at West Riverside and Woodbank House in Balloch and made the request during First Minister’s Questions and reiterated his delight at how it was unanimously rejected.

He told The Herald in the immediate aftermath that he would look to get the exclusivity deal removed and he has now written to the First Minister requesting that it is axed.

Mr Swinney wasn’t willing to go into detail on his views on the situation because he didn’t want to cause issues if the developers appeal the decision that was made on Monday.

Mr Greer’s question was “to ask what the Scottish Government’s response to the decision by the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park regarding Flamingo Land Lomond Banks planning application".

John Swinney during FMQsJohn Swinney during FMQs (Image: Jane Barlow/PA Wire)

The First Minister responded: “I am aware of the decision made by Loch Lomond and The Trossachs Park Authority Board to refuse permission for a development at West Riverside and Woodbank House in Balloch.

“Given the applicants have the right to appeal which could come potentially before Scottish Ministers in the future, it would not be appropriate for me to make any further comments.”

"I am delighted by the unanimous rejection of the park board after a decade of attempts by Flamingo Land to force this daft mega resort on Balloch.

“Over 154,000 people joined our campaign and objected, they were joined by the Woodland Trust, Ramblers, the National Trust for Scotland and SEPA but at its core this was a community campaign and my constituents want to turn the page.

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

“This 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 so can I ask the First Minister will the Scottish Government end rather than renew this agreement and will they review the use of exclusivity agreements and the impact they have on communities like Balloch?”

Mr Swinney responded again to say: “There are two elements to the question and I understand why they are being raised. The first relates specifically to Flamingo Land’s development and I better not say anything specific about that for the reasons about potential appeal that could come forward.

“The second point is about the provision about exclusivity deals in principle. There will be mixed opinions about this but some of the purpose of exclusivity arrangements can be to accelerate planning developments which in other circumstances might approve of.

“For example, renewable energy developments might be speeded up as a consequence of exclusivity arrangements so I’d simply say we’ve got to have a broad view of these questions because there may be developments which are beneficial in the national interest that could be supported by moves of that type.”

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Conservative MSP Pam Gosal also had her say on the matter and asked if the Scottish Government would take community feelings into planning applications more in the future.

Mr Swinney answered: “That should be an essential part of any planning process and it’s in the interests of all parties to have good community engagement because if there is, then it is more likely developments will be enabled if community concerns and interests have been properly taken into account.”

Jackie Baillie, the Labour MSP for the area, was also keen to get answers from the First Minister. She pointed out that Flamingo Land has another year of an exclusivity deal but requested that the government don’t extend it to the length of time an appeal or a new proposal would take.

But Mr Swinney again refused to get drawn into an answer that could cause any problems and responded: “Jackie Baillie encourages me to get into the specific issues which could be material to any appeal which comes in front of ministers and I have to be very careful not to prejudice the position of Scottish ministers but I hear what she says and the government will consider any issues when any potentially issues come in front of ministers.”