West Riverside and Woodbank House (Lomond Banks) National Park Authority Statement & Update – May 2025
Dr Heather Reid, Convener of Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority Board, said:
“We acknowledge the notification from the Scottish Government Reporter that he is minded to allow the appeal and grant Planning Permission in Principle for the Lomond Banks tourism development in Balloch.
“We stand by the reasons for the Board’s unanimous decision to refuse this planning application and it is deeply disappointing that the Reporter has taken a different view. We will now take some time to go through the report and to understand its implications.”
Update 23rd May 2025
Following the decision by the National Park Authority Board to reject the planning application for a major tourism development at West Riverside and Woodbank House in Balloch (September 2024), the applicant submitted an appeal against that decision to the Scottish Government’s Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA).
We received a notice of intention on 16 May 2025 from the DPEA that the Scottish Government Reporter (appointed to consider the appeal) is minded to allow the appeal and grant Planning Permission in Principle.
This means that the Scottish Government Reporter has taken a different view on the planning application and that – subject to a legal agreement being reached – the decision of the National Park Authority Board to refuse Planning Permission in Principle has been overturned.
The DPEA is leading the appeal process (not the National Park Authority) and all interested parties will be notified by the DPEA of any updates.
There is no formal opportunity for further public comment at this stage.
What happens now?
The Scottish Government’s approval of Planning Permission in Principle is subject to a legal agreement being agreed between the appellant (Flamingo Land) and the National Park Authority.
A legal agreement must be completed and submitted to the DPEA within 26 weeks, after which it is anticipated that Planning Permission in Principle will be granted.
Whilst the National Park Authority stands by its decision in September 2024 to refuse planning permission for the development, we acknowledge the Reporter’s decision and are required to work to conclude a legal agreement on the terms prescribed by the Reporter.
Planning Permission in Principle will be issued once this agreement is formally concluded. Following that, the applicant can submit detailed planning applications to the National Park Authority. Construction on site is only possible once those detailed planning applications have been determined by the National Park Authority and planning permission granted.
You can view all of the documents for this Appeal on the DPEA website.
More details about the appeal process can be found here – A guide to planning appeals in Scotland – gov.scot
View previous updates regarding this application on our Major Planning Applications page.