MSP Jackie Baillie has welcomed news that the Scottish Government has rejected Flamingo Land’s bid for a massive tourism development at Balloch.

The campaigning MSP, who has consistently opposed  the development, backed the decision by the government to reject the view of their own Reporter, and instead, listen to the National Park, SEPA and the majority of the local community, who were against the development. 

Jackie, whose Dumbarton constituency would have been home to the controversial development, said: “I welcome this decision.

“It was clear that when the National Park, appointed by the Scottish Government, and SEPA, a Scottish Government agency, objected to the application that this proposal was flawed.

“This was a proposal that was rejected by the overwhelming majority of my local community.

“It beggars belief that just months ago, the Scottish Government initially refused to call the application in for scrutiny and their own Planning Reporter gave this decision the go-ahead.

“The Scottish Government has finally taken the right decision, which goes to show that there is nothing like an election to concentrate minds.

“I am absolutely delighted at this outcome. Loch Lomond is a very special place and, with Balloch as its gateway, we need to be careful to have the right development for the area.”

The Scottish Government’s Planning Reporter angered the community last May,  when he approved the Lomond Banks development in principle, against a list of 49 conditions.

Despite mounting community anger and pressure from Jackie, the Scottish Government refused to call the application in for further scrutiny.

But they were eventually forced into a U-turn when they faced humiliation in the Holyrood Chamber after Jackie, also Scottish Labour’s Deputy Leader, was set to force a vote on the issue backed by cross-party opponents of the decision.