A councillor is continuing to battle against approved plans for a leadership centre on the banks of Loch Lomond – over fears about the impact on the environment.
Sally Page hit out after the Scottish Government rejected her calls for an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) to be carried out on the Hunter Foundation development near Ross Priory in Gartocharn.
Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park gave the facility, led by philanthropist Sir Tom Hunter, the green light in December last year.
The Foundation say the centre will be a “globally significant facility”, support the future of the Strathclyde University owned Ross Priory venue and boost tourism.
The plans attracted 43 objections, with concerns over sewage discharges into the loch, harm to wildlife and protected species, harm to views, insufficient parking, as well as the building being of inappropriate design to its surroundings.
Following a screening process, the Foundation did not require to lodge an EIA, which are sometimes required to determine the effects of a development on its surroundings.
The Gartocharn Conservative councillor has since contacted the Scottish Government asking ministers to make an EIA a requirement.
She believes the decision to approve was based on missing information which would have been covered in an EIA.
The councillor said: “I wrote in detail to the minister for planning at the Scottish Government, Kevin Stewart MSP, to request an EIA for this application; in failing to answer some of the more salient points I had made, the minister’s case worker concluded no EIA was necessary.
“I have written again in detail, with a map for further information.
“Such a development goes against all our climate change aspirations, makes Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park look out of touch with the UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties coming to Glasgow.
“The sustainable alternatives of Balloch Castle, Auchendennan and Ardlui Outdoor Centre should be considered.
“The approval of the application does not uphold the founding principle of the national park, the Sandford Principal, which requires all decisions to put the environment first.”
In her letter to the Scottish Government, she claims that the screening incorrectly determined the development under an urban classification, when it should have been under tourism and leisure outside urban areas and associated developments.
She says this is because a design statement submitted highlights how “the centre will more than double the available residential of the priory for weddings and conferences”.
However, the Scottish Government concluded that the identification within one category or another does not alter the process and that the “decision to consider the proposal as an urban development project is not an unreasonable one”.
Sally also said it failed to adequately assess the development’s impact on protected, important or sensitive species on site.
She added: “Had the wildlife survey been conducted fully, taking in an area outwith the development site and conducted during growing and breeding months the answers would have been different.”
Stuart Mearns, director of rural development and planning for Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority, said a rigorous screening process is carried out to determine whether an EIA is needed.
He said: “The National Park Authority takes its environmental responsibilities very seriously with any planning application being assessed against a number of published policies and requirements.
“This application was carefully assessed with advice from our own specialists on environmental matters.
“EIAs are not required for every application - in addition to this assessment - and a rigorous screening process is carried out to determine when this is needed.
“The application was determined by our planning and access committee, in a meeting held in public, with a hearing where those in support and in opposition took the opportunity to speak before a decision was taken.
“Board members considered the concerns, including those in respect of the EIA process for this case.
“Following consideration of the request by Councillor Page for an EIA screening direction, the Scottish Government declined the request to issue a
direction.”
The Scottish Government said it had considered all points made and were satisfied the issues raised do not call into question the validity of the national park’s opinion on the EIA screening.
Previously responding to concerns, the Hunter Foundation said: "We have consulted on this development for years now and formally contacted the planning authority in March, 2020 on our plans and after detailed consultation, including with the local community and significant and multiple studies – from wildlife habitats to the environment to light pollution – amended our plans significantly to address concerns raised. Indeed our plans now deliver a significant environmental benefit connecting Ross Priory and our development to the mains sewer; Ross Priory sewage currently exits into Loch Lomond via a reed bed prone to flooding.
"The proposals have the support of Friends of Loch Lomond and received unilateral approval from the planning authority committee but not without significant conditions – and rightly so, the authority has been highly diligent on that and before touching a blade of grass we will undertake numerous studies and commit to many mitigation measures."
