Scottish Government accused of trying to 'railroad through' Flamingo Land resort
The Scottish Government has been accused of trying to 'railroad through' Flamingo Land's Loch Lomond resort.
Labour MSP for Dumbarton Jackie Baillie said SNP minister Ivan McKee was treating local opponents to the controversial £43.5million bid with 'disdain' and added he should not be allowed to decide the case.
It comes after the proposed Lomond Banks resort in Balloch by Yorkshire theme park firm Flamingo Land was rejected by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park last year.
The SNP sparked an outcry when in May its Reporter David Buylla overruled them and green-lit the resort – a decision initially backed by public finance minister McKee.
Last month McKee was forced into a U-turn amid local opposition and the threat of a parliamentary defeat led by Baillie and has 'called in' the appeal, meaning it must be directly considered by ministers.
Baillie has warned Holyrood chiefs against trying to rush through a decision while MSPs are on holiday – as the Sunday Mail can reveal officials set out a speeded-up six-week timeline.
The Scottish Labour deputy leader said: 'David Buylla, the original Reporter, already made a decision and Ivan McKee has already taken a view in Parliament. In the interests of fairness neither should have anything further to do with this application."
The planned holiday resort in Balloch - long opposed by local and green campaigners - would see a waterpark, a monorail, hotels, a brewery, 104 woodland chalets and more built along the iconic loch. Developers insist it will bring jobs and investment to the area.
We told last week of Buylla's continued involvement in the appeal despite previously backing the bid, with activists branding the process a 'sham'.
Further questions have been raised after new correspondence from Buylla set out a new six-week timeline for developers, with input from the National Park, to produce a key planning agreement needed if the bid goes ahead.
After his initial decision, Buylla had set out a six-month timeline, with no explanation provided about why this has been so drastically shortened.
It's raised fears the government could dodge parliamentary scrutiny on the issue given MSPs don't return from summer recess until August 31. Buylla has set a 'target date' of September 11 to produce his final report for ministers.
Baillie added: 'The SNP Government must not rush this through without public hearings on key concerns.
'This lack of accountability is a democratic outrage.
"The SNP must stop railroading this application through and respond to the public concerns in an open and transparent manner or leave themselves open to judicial review."
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Green MSP Ross Greer said: 'The future of the gateway to Loch Lomond cannot be decided behind closed doors.
"The National Park's board held a full public hearing before unanimously rejecting Flamingo Land's destructive plans. The Scottish Government must do the same.
'The Reporter made a huge mistake at the appeal stage by refusing to speak to groups like the National Park's planning experts or community representatives. Ministers cannot repeat that mistake as they try to rush this to a conclusion."
The Scottish Government said: 'Ministers have not reached or expressed a view on this proposed development, and any claim to the contrary is false. As this is a live planning appeal it would not be appropriate to comment further.'
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