MORE than 20,000 people have objected to Flamingo Land's plans for a new resort on the banks of Loch Lomond.
It is the second time the Yorkshire theme park operator has faced public anger over plans for a tourist resort.
They withdrew their bid to build the Lomond Banks project in 2019, after more than 55,000 public objections.
However, Flamingo Land say their new plan, first unveiled at the end of last year, is fundamentally different to the old one and follows "extensive community liaison and consultation".
The company say the £40m plan, which includes a 60-bed hotel, 127 self-catering lodges, a leisure pool and water park facility and a monorail, as well as restaurants, cafes and retail areas, will bring "economic benefits" to the area band create "more than 200 jobs."
Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer launched a campaign urging people to object to the proposal last Friday.
More than 22,000 people have now done so.
Mr Greer said: “I am grateful to everyone who has backed the community campaign to save Loch Lomond from Flamingo Land’s second attempt at a destructive ‘resort’ development.
“The volume of responses over the weekend shows just how strongly people feel about protecting our national parks and in particular the world-famous natural landscape of Loch Lomond at one of its most accessible locations.
“Local residents have repeatedly proposed a range of potential alternative uses for the site which could boost the social and economic wellbeing of the area, maintain easy public access and protect the ancient woodland at Drumkinnon, but site owner Scottish Enterprise has so far been unwilling to deal with anyone other than the Yorkshire theme park operator."
The decision rests with the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority.
A spokesperson said: “A planning application for a major development (known as Lomond Banks) at West Riverside and Woodbank House, Balloch, is currently being considered by the National Park Authority’s planning team.
“We are following the statutory process required for major planning applications and all representations received from members of the public will be taken into account when assessing this application.
“As the planning authority considering a live application, it is not appropriate for us to comment on the specific proposals at this time.”
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