Dumbarton’s MSP has welcomed the Scottish Government’s U-turn on the controversial Flamingo Land development.
Jackie Baillie welcomed the eleventh hour decision, saying: “it’s about time”.
Both the majority of the local community and politicians were united against the Scottish Government’s decision to allow the development to proceed.
The area’s MSP, Jackie Baillie, was due to lead a debate in the Scottish Parliament on Wednesday over the issue.
She also attended a public meeting in Balloch recently, where residents vented their fury over the decision to allow the controversial development to proceed at the Loch Lomond site.
The Scottish Government’s Planning Reporter had waved the development through last month, subject to a list of 49 conditions.
A caveat was also included that a binding legal agreement must be reached with Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority over an ancient woodland segment of the site.
But the decision enraged the community and infuriated MSP Jackie, who had objected to the plan.
Jackie had cross-party backing for a motion set to go before the Holyrood chamber on Wednesday, asking the Scottish Government to call in the application for ministerial decision.
Planning Minister Ivan McKee had knocked back an earlier attempt by MSPs, to force the Scottish Government to call in the Reporter’s decision for scrutiny.
The Minister refused, as did the First Minister, but then the Scottish Government performed a spectacular U-turn hours before the debate this week.
Delighted Jackie said: “It’s about time the Scottish Government backtracked and called this decision in for scrutiny.
“It was unacceptable to allow an unelected and unaccountable civil servant to take such a vital decision to prevent the Scottish Government from getting its hands dirty.
“There are matters of vital national planning policy at stake in this decision, which has also been widely condemned by the community.
“It’s about time the Scottish Government started listening to local people and I am glad that my motion, which enjoyed cross party backing, has forced them to do so.”
The Lomond Banks development will not be completed for a decade, should it be given the go-ahead.
