A CAMPAIGN group set up to oppose the controversial 'Flamingo Land' development proposal for the southern end of Loch Lomond says the withdrawal of the company's bid for planning permission is not the end of the story.

Save Loch Lomond says the decision by Flamingo Land Ltd and Scottish Enterprise to withdraw their 'Lomond Banks' planning application is a "strategic move" – and a bid to "effectively silence" the voices of those who objected to the plans.

And the group has accused the two organisations of failing to understand the "real reasons" for the 57,000 objections lodged against their application.

Flamingo Land Ltd and Scottish Enterprise told the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority last week that they were withdrawing their application after it sparked more than 50,000 objections from politicians, environmental groups and residents.

The announcement came days after Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park planning officers recommended the application be rejected in a report which highlighted new concerns regarding the scale of proposals for the Pierhead and Drumkinnon Woods areas.

READ MORE: Flamingo Land withdraws Loch Lomond planning application

Save Loch Lomond said in a statement: "While Save Loch Lomond welcomes the decision by Scottish Enterprise and Flamingo Land as joint applicants to withdraw their planning application, we recognise this planned strategic move and perceived advantages.

"This move avoids any chance of a refusal from the National Park Authority, call in by the Scottish Government and of course attempts to nullify the 57,000 objections effectively silencing these voices, enabling the developers to say that the 57,000 objections don’t apply to any future application.

"From the statement released through their lawyers, it is quite clear neither Flamingo Land nor Scottish Enterprise understand the real reasons for the number of objections.

"There is a real opportunity to create something very special with this land, a gem to sit beside the scenic jewel that is Loch Lomond. The Flamingo Land development, even if altered, is not it.

"The land is, incidentally, far from derelict. It may be vacant, but not derelict.

"We will be seeking clarification from Scottish Enterprise if they intend to maintain the Exclusivity Agreement with Flamingo Land which prevents any other more appropriate and locally beneficial projects from being explored and discussed seriously with planning authorities.

"We will continue to work together with all other objectors to maintain pressure and expound the arguments as to why the Flamingo Land project is the wrong type of development for this site in Balloch and to show alternatives that bring greater local benefits and are befitting of a National Park."

READ MORE: Flamingo Land's Lomond Banks proposals 'should be rejected', say planning officials

The view that the withdrawal of the application was a tactical move has been echoed by Scottish Green MSP Ross Greer.

Mr Greer, a regional MSP for the west of Scotland area, including Loch Lomond, also backed calls for an end to the 'exclusivity agreement' with Flamingo Land for the site.

“They [Flamingo Land] knew that they were going to lose," Mr Greer said.

"After a record-setting 57,000 objections from members of the public, the unanimous rejection of the local council, and even the National Park’s own planning officers recommending that it should be rejected, they knew that they were on to nothing.

“But don’t be mistaken – this isn’t the end. They intend on re-submitting.

“This is just a cynical ploy to restart the process, cancelling out those tens of thousands of objections so that they can get started all over again.

“The next step now is to tell Scottish Enterprise, the government agency that owns this land, it’s time to cancel the exclusivity agreement that they have with Flamingo Land.

“That exclusivity agreement runs until the end of 2020 and means that no-one else can bid to develop on that land.

“That’s wrong. It’s time for the community to be allowed an opportunity to put their alternatives forward.”

READ MORE: Green MSP delivers 'record number of objections' to Lomond Banks plans

Jackie Baillie MSP, whose constituency covers both Helensburgh and the Flamingo Land development site, said she was not completely opposed to development of the land – but hailed the move as "good news for local people".

Ms Baillie said: “Flamingo Land’s planning application was rejected by thousands of local people who submitted objections and the overwhelming majority of people who approached me were opposed to the development due to the potential impact on the area.

“It was clear that Flamingo Land had little interest in ensuring local people’s voices were heard during the process and were dismissive of many of the views which were voiced.

“Tourism related development is welcome in Balloch, as long as it enhances the offering which is already in place in the village. My view is that the area deserves better.

“I hope that this will pave the way for a more sensitive development in the future.”

In a letter to the National Park's officials, the applicants said they had asked for a postponement of a public hearing on the application – which was originally scheduled to take place on September 24, but was cancelled after the application was withdrawn – and hit out at the park's officials for a "refusal to compromise".

The letter added: "Officers have refused to accept the Applicants’ concerns regarding the way in which officers have assessed certain critical sections of their environmental statement, refused to postpone the hearing to allow further time for the alleged deficiencies to be addressed, and refused the Applicants’ publication request.

“In the light of those disappointing refusals and having given very careful consideration to their options, the applicants have reluctantly decided that it is not only in theirs but also in the public interest that the application is withdrawn, so that any remaining issues that the officers have with certain aspects of the environmental impact assessment can be addressed ahead of the application being re-submitted.”

READ MORE: First images of controversial £30m Loch Lomond development released

Andy Miller, director of Lomond Banks, said: “We’ve been working hard with all parties, including the National Park Authority, for more than two years to ensure all information relating to the proposed development was made readily available.

“We know the National Park recognises that the majority of what we propose fits in with the LDP (Local Development Plan).

“It is therefore surprising and disappointing that their recommendation report raises previously unidentified concerns and highlights the need for new additional information.

“Our priority now is to fully understand concerns, gather the necessary information and dispel some of the myths that continue to circulate around our ambitions for the site.

“It is only at this point, we will consider re-submitting our plans to ensure decision makers will be able to take a fully informed decision on this important application.”

Allan McQuade, director of Scottish Enterprise, said: “Any proposed plan and investment of this scale must be considered from all angles and subsequent planning and investment decisions based on hard evidence and fact therefore it is only right that the current planning application be withdrawn to allow sufficient time for all parties to consider additional new information.

“As with previous developments at Loch Lomond, we understand people are concerned and our priority is to ensure that any development on the parcel of derelict land in Balloch is delivered in line with planning policy.”