In my post on the Scottish Government’s decision to call in the Flamingo Land application for a decision by Scottish Ministers (see here), I highlighted the fact that the Planning Minister, Ivan McKee, had asked for another report from a Reporter at the Department of Planning Enforcement and Appeals (DPEA) without saying who he had asked…
Month: June 2025
On 27th May Goldcrest Land and Forestry Group misleadingly announced a new property was for sale, “Beinn Bhreac Hill” (see here). In fact Goldcrest had marketed Beinn Bhreac a year ago as Lot 4 in the Royal Scottish Forestry’s Society (RFSF)’s attempt to sell off their “forest for a thousand years” at Cashel (see here)….
The Report of the Deer Working Group “The Management of Wild Deer in Scotland” published over five years ago was very clear that the use of muirburn to improve grazing for deer was very damaging and the Scottish Government should stop supporting it financially and only allow it in exceptional circumstances: The Scottish Government…
The Lake of Menteith, east of Aberfoyle, is one of the many places in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park that it is difficult for the public to access. Its on the Glasgow-Stirling X10A bus route (see here) which offers six buses a day Monday to Friday, a reduced service on Saturday and none…
The Royal Society of Edinburgh and the Society of Antiquaries for Scotland organised a very interesting talk his week by Professor Chris Watley about the access battle at Harvie’s Dyke. This is recommended viewing for any interested in access rights. (The main talk starts at 8 mins 20 secs see here and last about 30…
Before the start of the 2023/24 ski season “loyal customers”, i.e. skiers and boarders, were sent an email by Highland and Islands Enterprise (HIE)’s subsidiary Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) offering season passes with early bird discounts and the additional benefit of funicular access until November 2024 – an extended ski season perhaps! Susan Smith, then CEO…
Political developments over the last week have helped expose the fundamentally undemocratic nature of Scotland’s planning system and the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA)’s morally corrupt handling of Flamingo Land’s proposed development at Balloch still further. Last Tuesday, 10th June, the Scottish Government minister responsible for planning, Ivan McKee, issued a very…
Following my post on Forest and Land Scotland’s Larch Removal Plan in Strathyre, which would decimate the forest and its wildlife (see here), the local community has set up a campaign to stop the destruction. In the words of a local person: “most of the villagers and local businesses had no idea this mass tree…
The Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA) Board duly agreed (see here) at their meeting yesterday to do nothing further to oppose the proposed Lomond Banks development. They have also handed all responsibility for negotiating a Section 75 Agreement with Flamingo Land, (as suggested but NOT required by the Scottish Government’s Reporter) which…
The Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA) board meeting on Monday (9th June) is being asked to consider a paper “Process and timeline Re: PPA-002-2021 Notice of Intention Lomond Banks” (see here). The paper was published late – according to the LLTNPA’s Standing Orders that should happen a week before a board meeting…
I spotted this sign on my return from walking over Ben Ledi last week (see here). While we walked round the locked gate easily enough and most cyclists could too, it would be a different matter for anyone in a wheelchair or riding a horse who wants to enjoy the extensive network of forest tracks in…