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The Herald Scotland
24-07-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
'We are walking from Skye to Glasgow to call for urgent land reform'
Around 70 people have so far shown an interest in doing the walk, with more expected to sign up before the event. Organisers say the three-week, 'Just Walk', will highlight the issue of land ownership in Scotland, where just over 400 people own 50 per cent of private rural land. The protesters leave from Broadford on Skye on September 17, then taking the long walk across the hills out of Knoydart and on to Glenfinnan. After crossing the Corran Ferry, the marchers head for Ballachulish and Glen Coe, before following the West Highland Way to Carbeth and finishing at the Broomielaw in Glasgow on October 7. The walkers will reach out to communities along the way, raising the issues around land rights and sharing information and experience with west coast communities. The protesters leave from Skye on September 17 Just Walk is organised by Grassroots to Global, a Scotland-based group campaigning for radical change in political decision-making, community empowerment, and environmental security. David Lees from Grassroots to Global said: 'We see this very much in the footsteps of The Jarrow March in the '30's and the Marches for Jobs in the 1980's.' 'Despite past campaigns, there are still huge land ownership issues and we now see venture capital companies buying up huge estates in Scotland', he continues. 'The march will allow us to highlight injustices, by drawing attention to a system where communities are often excluded from decision-making about the land they live on.' He continued: 'Over nearly 200 miles, we will be crossing different types of land ownership – some community owned spaces, some big, murky, venture-capital type spaces, some Forestry Land Scotland property, and various privately-owned spaces. We will be holding up a magnifying glass to these different places as well as testing the right to roam.' In the Loch Lomond side section of the walk, the walkers hope to speak to nearby communities about the Flamingo Land controversy. READ MORE: Scotland for sale – but who's buying? The problematic question of land reform Eva Schonveld of Grassroots to Global said: 'We view the walk in part as a 'walking people's assembly'. Over 70 people have so-far shown an interest in doing the walk. We'll be in a lot of very thinly-populated areas and we're taking a lot of care to limit numbers where needed and make sure that our impact on the land and communities we pass through is positive.' The walk will be joined by indigenous land activists from Kenya and Canada. Justin Kenrick, who works to support forest peoples community land rights in Africa, said: 'Community lands in Africa, in Scotland, and around the world are not remnants of some vanished past. Community lands are the only route to a liveable future where we reduce our negative impact on the environment, and build resilient relationships with each other and the lands where we live'. The walk includes a number of theatre projects which will be performed in various stop-off points. Skye-based writer, Daniel Cullen, who wrote the play 'The Chariot, The Flag, and the Empty, Empty Houses' will bring elements of the piece to a number of communities en route. 'That play dealt with a lot of the relevant issues: short-term lets, land ownership and the erosion of the Gaelic language', David Lees added. 'In an echo of the great John McGrath's excellent drama from the 1970's 'The Cheviot, The Stag and the Black, Black Oil', which toured communities which were traditionally 'off the map' for national scale pieces, we also hope to reach folk that might otherwise be excluded.' Just Walk is also working with an Arts group based in Torry in Aberdeenshire who are in the process of dramatizing their experience of land justice issues in 'A Play for Torry'. Glasgow-based Red Flag Players, who have written a piece about the Craigallian Fire - which was kept burning for 20 years as a symbol of the struggle for land rights - will be involved along the route, including a performance at Carbeth, which was (and remains) a pivotal site in the Craigallian story, and the broader story of land reform in Scotland. The group said: 'We also want to use the tradition of the ceilidh house to tell the story, with people gathering, and eating food, and singing and listening to stories from the communities. 'We hope to help weave together the issues around Scotland as a lot of places feel they are isolated in facing the various injustices.' Commenting on the walk, Dr Josh Doble, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Community Land Scotland, said: 'We welcome this walk as a great opportunity to raise awareness of the archaic and deeply unjust issues around land ownership in Scotland. It's a long walk, through an area where there is a wide variety of land ownership from corporate, to public, to various levels of private. 'There are also some community owned landholdings enroute, which we hope will provide inspiration for what is possible in terms of local economic, social and environmental development if more communities take ownership of land. 'The over-concentration of land in so few private hands is highly unusual globally and Just Walk can help raise public awareness of the need for radical change. We congratulate the walkers on their effort and look forward to working together in the future as we collectively reshape Scotland's unjust land ownership.'
The Sun
22-07-2025
- The Sun
I visited the UK's best seaside town with cheap beach huts, dolphins offshore and a bag of chips for only £2.25
RECLINING in the blue and white striped deckchair, a cup of tea in hand, I took in the spectacular view of the bay and kept my eyes peeled for porpoises. I've been lucky to travel to beaches in Greece, Spain, Antigua and even Japan in my time, but on a sunny June day, you can't beat a trip to one of the UK's best seaside towns. 12 Just over an hour's drive from my home in North Yorkshire, I've visited this stretch of Scarborough coast on dozens of occasions. But only recently was it described as one of the best seaside towns in the UK by Condé Nasté Traveller. It's the perfect family day out and we hardly spend any money - which these days can often be impossible. When you factor in the kids and all their gear, sandy feet, sticky hands and sun cream application, the idea of the beach can make you groan. But, I have a trick and it keeps everyone happy. When we have a whole day planned at the beach, I hire one of the town's historic beach chalets, with uninterrupted views across South Bay. The huts are managed by North Yorkshire County Council and cost from £50 a day to rent from 10am. And if you rent for seven days they range from £14 a day off peak to £32 a day at the height of summer. Compare this to visiting Flamingo Land theme park just 20 miles away – booking an advance family ticket during the summer is at least £168. There are 35 chalets available, with two of the rows dating from Edwardian times, making them Britain's oldest surviving beach huts. We live in picturesque seaside town where beachfront homes go for just £135k – it feels like a holiday all year round But our home for the day – number 247 – is at the end of a third row that was opened last year after the originals were demolished by a landslip in 2019. Care has been taken to ensure they match the original style of their neighbours, part of the 52-acre South Cliff Gardens, and next to the Grade II-listed Scarborough Spa. The location is at the quieter end of South Bay, known for its traditional amusements, shops and restaurants. In the background, the 12th-century Scarborough Castle is perched proudly on the headland. There's plenty of on and off-street parking nearby. We opted for South Bay Underground, beneath the celebrated cast iron Spa Bridge and next to the Blue Roundabout, a sea-themed piece of public art. It costs £10.60 for eight hours – and is free after 6pm. The town's train station is a 20-minute walk too – downhill to the huts but uphill back. Cheap check-in After picking up the keys from the chalet attendant, my two sons – Ralph, eight, and Max, five – were excited to open the yellow shutters and see what was inside. The décor is simple but extremely welcoming and clean – a classic black and red tiled floor with white walls, a white kitchen unit and a couple of wooden shelves. Use of the hut includes a sink with a washing-up bowl, a USB charging port and a wired-in kettle for making hot drinks. There are also two deckchairs, four metal chairs and a metal table, as well as a sweeping brush, dustpan and brush, overhead lighting and hooks for your towels and bags. You need to bring your own plates, cups, cutlery and washing up liquid, as well as a cool bag for perishables and a barbecue if you are planning to cook. A rubbish bag is handy too, but there are public bins a minute away. I'd barely got the kettle on before the kids were in their swimming trunks (no awkward sandy changes behind towels today!) and heading down to the sand with their spades. The chalet's cliffside location means you're not directly on the beach, tricker with babies and toddlers. But there's a short, step-free (and buggy-friendly) stroll down to the sand, and you have an excellent bird's eye view to supervise older children as they jump in the waves and explore the rock pools. In fact, we barely saw our two all afternoon, other than when they wanted snacks or to bring us treasures of seaweed and crab shells. 12 12 Friends who live locally joined us for the trip, allowing us to split the price between two families for even better value. This meant we got shade, electricity, deck chairs and free tea all day for £25 per family. Pals were also a font of knowledge about the bottlenose dolphins, porpoises and minke whales that live in this stretch of the North Sea. It left us cursing our lack of binoculars. We all came armed with picnics, teabags, coffee and a few cans of beer in a cooler to save money on our day out. But should we have forgotten anything, the Clock Café was immediately behind us. It's famed for its scones – just check if the flag is flying to see if it's open. There were public loos next door, but coins were needed to access these – it's 40p per use. Time to explore We were all blissfully happy chilling at the hut, but I grabbed my youngest son to help me explore the cheap and cheerful entertainment of South Cliff Gardens right on our doorstep. Established over the Regency and Victoria eras, it's a maze of paths, landscaped gardens, a seasonal putting green and the biggest Star Map in the UK. There's also a hillside adventure playground immediately behind the chalets – totally free to enjoy. 12 12 One attraction we did fork out for was the South Cliff Lift that connects the Cleveland Way beside the beach to the Esplanade at the top of the cliffs. Opened in 1875, it was Britain's first funicular railway. We paid £2.50 each for a return ticket, but could easily have paid half and weaved our way back down through the gardens. When the tide came in towards teatime, we stashed our belongings inside the hut to take a look at the glitzier end of town, a ten to 15-minute walk away. The boys spent a few coins on the dazzling array of arcades at Olympia Leisure, while we also peeked into Scarborough Joke Shop and marvelled at the seasonal big wheel. If you want to splash out, Luna Park has fairground rides, or you can take a boat trip from the harbour. Entry to the castle costs from £16.70 for a family with one adult and up to three kids, but is free for English Heritage members. But free thrills for all can be found crossing the Spa Bridge, visiting the lighthouse on the pier or following the Scarborough Sea Wall Heritage Trail. You can't leave the seaside without partaking of some chips, so we headed to The Fishpan, serving the town since 1960. A takeaway kids' portion was only £2.25, which my two shared happily, while we grabbed massive chip butties for £3.45 each. 12 12 We'd planned to enjoy them on the soft yellow sand opposite, but the seagulls were out in force and eyeing up our dinner. Not only did the beach hut prove to be an affordable day out, it was the perfect place to eat in peace – not a scavenging gull in sight. It was the perfect day, especially with the sun out, and we only spent £50, including the chalet, which was worth every penny. Splitting the cost with another family is a genius idea. Our day on the beach was an absolute bargain.
Daily Record
13-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Scottish Government accused of trying to 'railroad through' Flamingo Land resort
Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie said SNP minister Ivan McKee was treating local opponents to the controversial £43.5million bid with 'disdain'. 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." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. 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.'
The National
06-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Review into Flamingo Land plans to be led by official who approved it
The Scottish Government recalled plans to build the resort on the banks of Loch Lomond last month, after it was announced the developers had been granted their appeal after it was rejected by the local authority. Scottish Government reporter David Buylla, who gave the £43.5 million project in Balloch planning permission, is now set to advise SNP ministers who have called in the decision for reappraisal, the Sunday Mail reports. The recall, undertaken by Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee, means that ministers will now consider the proposals directly. READ MORE: Campaign against Flamingo Land reaches milestone with 50,000 letters sent to minister If it goes ahead, the resort would see a waterpark, a monorail, hotels, restaurants, a brewery and 104 woodland chalets built. The plans have been met with criticism from local campaigners and politicians, which have been branded as "hysteria" by developers Lomond Banks. According to the Sunday Mail, Buylla is now tasked with writing a new report, including recommendations to inform McKee's decision. Scottish Government reporters are civil servants within the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA), who decide on planning appeals. Buylla is one of five principal reporters at the DPEA, while there are also three assistant chief reporters and one chief reporter. Alannah Maurer, campaigner with the Save Loch Lomond campaign, told the Sunday Mail: 'You'd assume someone else would have been assigned. You have to consider professional integrity because how does he say anything other than what he previously said? READ MORE: All the reasons why approving Flamingo Land in Scotland is wrong 'It's absolutely clear there is no democracy, particularly where planning is concerned. The developer can appeal but the public has no right of appeal. 'Our best hope is that ministers will see sense, pay attention to the public – but it's clear public opinion counts for nothing.' Scottish Greens MSP Ross Greer, who has been involved with the campaign against Flamingo Land's plans, said ministers "cannot hide behind officials" when making their decision. Ross Greer MSP 'For a start, they must do what did not happen at the appeal stage; speak to the community, to myself and others like the Woodland Trust who submitted substantial evidence against Flamingo Land's destructive plans," he told the paper. 'They absolutely must speak to the National Park's own planning experts, whose report advising their board to reject the application was clearly badly misunderstood by Government officials. READ MORE: Cabinet minister refuses to confirm if two-child cap will be scrapped 'The Planning Minister should call a public hearing and come to his own decision based on the evidence. Rehashing the same flawed report from officials and waiting until after next year's election to sign it off would be totally unacceptable." A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: 'Ministers decided to recall the Lomond Banks appeal as the proposed development raises issues of national significance in view of its potential impact on Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. 'As this is a live planning appeal it would not be appropriate to comment further.'
Daily Record
06-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Scots Gov official who approved Flamingo Land will lead the review into decision
Angry activists have blasted the process "a sham". A review of the Scottish Government's widely criticised move to approve Flamingo Land's Loch Lomond resort will be led by the same official who gave it the green light. The Sunday Mail has learned Scottish Government Reporter David Buylla – who gave the controversial £43.5million project in Balloch planning permission – will now advise SNP ministers who have been forced to call in the decision for reappraisal. Furious activists say it showed the process was a 'sham'. The government was forced to U-turn on the initial backing for the lochside resort by Buylla – a top civil servant – amid local opposition and the threat of a parliamentary defeat. Community councillor Lynne Somerville said: 'It beggars belief they're allowing the same man that caused this outrage in the first place to write this new report. There's a complete conflict of interest and I think that really needs to be recognised by the Scottish Government.' Board members of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park are also opposed to the development. Dubbed ' Lomond Banks', the resort by Yorkshire theme park operator Flamingo Land would see a waterpark, a monorail, hotels, restaurants, a brewery and 104 woodland chalets built. After 50,000 people signed a petition urging ministers to reconsider the decision, Public Finance Minister Ivan McKee 'called in' the appeal last month, meaning ministers will consider it directly. But we can reveal the same Reporter, Buylla, is tasked with writing a new report including recommendations to inform McKee's decision. Somerville said: 'Why does Ivan McKee or anyone else think it's appropriate the same man is being asked to produce the report that will influence, guide and steer the outcome? "It's like they are trying to hide behind him and he is being used as the proverbial scapegoat. It does not paint the Scottish Government in a good light.' Scottish Government Reporters are civil servants within the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) who decide on planning appeals. Buylla is one of five principal reporters at the DPEA, which also has a chief reporter and three assistant chief reporters. Alannah Maurer, campaigner with the Save Loch Lomond campaign, said: 'You'd assume someone else would have been assigned. You have to consider professional integrity because how does he say anything other than what he previously said? 'It's absolutely clear there is no democracy, particularly where planning is concerned. The developer can appeal but the public has no right of appeal. 'Our best hope is that ministers will see sense, pay attention to the public – but it's clear public opinion counts for nothing.' Buylla's continued involvement in the appeal was first revealed by environmental campaigner and blogger Nick Kempe, who branded Scotland's planning system a 'farce'. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. He wrote last week: "It appears the DPEA is still very much in charge. 'Without any instructions/steer from Mr McKee about what he wishes Mr Buylla to reconsider, it is difficult to see why he would change anything substantial in his report.' Tory West Scotland MSP Pam Gosal said: 'Given the controversy surrounding the SNP's handling of this issue, serious questions must be answered about the appropriateness of this latest appointment. 'Instead of continually forcing solutions and railroading their plans through parliament, SNP ministers should instead heed the widespread concerns of locals who firmly oppose the Flamingo Land proposals at Loch Lomond.' Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer commented: 'Ministers cannot hide behind officials when the gateway to Loch Lomond is at stake. They need to take control of this process themselves. 'For a start, they must do what did not happen at the appeal stage; speak to the community, to myself and others like the Woodland Trust who submitted substantial evidence against Flamingo Land's destructive plans. 'They absolutely must speak to the National Park's own planning experts, whose report advising their board to reject the application was clearly badly misunderstood by Government officials.'The Planning Minister should call a public hearing and come to his own decision based on the evidence. Rehashing the same flawed report from officials and waiting until after next year's election to sign it off would be totally unacceptable." Last month, developers Lomond Banks criticised the decision to recall the decision to approve and hit out at "hysteria" over the proposals which they say will bring much-needed jobs and investment to the area. A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: 'Ministers decided to recall the Lomond Banks appeal as the proposed development raises issues of national significance in view of its potential impact on Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park. 'As this is a live planning appeal it would not be appropriate to comment further.'
