Scotland's people have lost control of our own national park and as a result, now we find the Gateway visitor centre on the Banks of Loch Lomond has been privatised and turned into an exclusive Wedding and Conference Venue, an Australian company has just gained approval to set up the only underground gold mine in the UK, for their profit, and now a tacky Flamingo Land with "chalets" is seeking planning permission.
Proving Scotland's most scenic national park is being turned into an international free for all - except for the Scots who are losing more and more rights to wild camp free, in our own national park, despite the rights were were assured the Land Reform Act would guarantee - thanks to the national park's Planning & Access Committee - or no access as the case may be.
"THE head of Scotland's first national park has said it should move towards partnerships with the private sector to secure its existence for future generations.
Fiona Logan, chief executive of Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, said there was potential for greater involvement of the private sector, sponsorship from local businesses and contributions from visitors in the form of donations and charges."
Logan oversaw the controversial wild camping ban on the eastern shore of Loch Lomond and the recent plans to extend bans on campers on almost all the national park’s loch shores."
as well as approving the start of gold mining using rocks above ground - knowing the planning application could be easily converting to a full underground mine.
Who is Fiona Logan? A story written, when Logan was stepping down in 2014 to work in the private sector revealed
"“Fiona is a member of the Institute of Directors and the senior leaders forum board of the Scottish Government, and last year she won public servant of the year (UK) from the Women in Public Life awards.""
Prior to starting the implementation of our national park, Fiona Logan worked for American company IBM and Unilever and having an education from America's Harvard - did she pay for that or was that a "scholarship" we pay you so you privatise for us?
The privatisation strategy is affecting many things, including toilet access in the national park, as neoliberal (lack of) values rule Scotland's national park.
So who is the latest "woman of power" in the Trossachs National Park with strong links to the SNP government and has she carried on Fiona Logan's privatisation plan for Loch Lomond National Park?
German Tory, woman of power, Petra Biberbach is a member of the board and Chairman of the Loch Lomond & Trossachs National Park Planning & Access Committee.
So how did she get here?
Petra's LinkedIn profile hides where she came from prior to 2005, when she came to Scotland to become CEO of a "charity", funded by the Scottish Government, called "Planning Aid Scotland" (PAS).
But, in 2011 the Scottish Conservative Party think tank "Reform Scotland" boasted that Petra had joined their advisory board, with the headline
"Women power to the fore as Reform Scotland strengthens its board"
and it was their story that revealed, prior to coming to Scotland, Petra Biberbach worked for "the Council for the Protection of Rural England".
Somehow, she became a member of the board of our national park and also chairman of the "Planning and Access Committee" for the park in 2014 - she seems to have friends in the highest level of power in Scottish Tory, Labour and SNP parties.
Wild Camping Ban Area Extended in National Park
In 2017 Petra, from Germany, was party to extending restricting access to every Scot from wild camping in our own national park and as the Guardian reported,
"When it comes to wild camping (pitching a tent away from the confines of a designated campsite), Scotland has always been forward-thinking. This is enshrined in the Land Reform Act of 2003, which allowed people to wild camp – free of charge – pretty much anywhere in the awe-inspiring countryside. Sadly this right has just been severely compromised."...
"In criminalising wild campers, national park officials and the Scottish government have failed to realise that conscientious outdoor users – and the groups that help protect our rights, such as Ramblers and the Mountaineering Council of Scotland – act as eyes and ears on the ground."...
"in 2011, wild camping in a section of the loch’s east coast was banned as part of what was supposed to be a three-year trial that the then chief executive of the park said would hopefully be repealed. It never was. Now, six years later, another 150km stretch of camping spots on loch shores in the national park have been closed off. Just yesterday new national park chief Gordon Watson said he wouldn’t rule out extending the ban to other areas of Scotland in the future."
Petra's power does not end there as in 2014 the SNP government appointed this Tory woman of power to their Zero Waste Scotland Board, which also had Vic Emery (whom Alex Salmond had also made Chairman of the Scottish Police Authority - unelected power jobs for control of all Scotland - closed shop for the old boy/girl network?
Then in 2015, the SNP government picked Petra Biberbach to be one of three people to recommend changes to all Scotland's planning laws as part of an "independent panel", despite the fact she is on the Scottish Government's Zero Waste Scotland Board and they fund her "charity" Planning Aid Scotland - controversial proposals the SNP government accepted in full in 2016.
One of the changes they approved was to scrap all the Scottish Government planning reporters, civil servants, who are accountable to the people of Scotland, to be replaced by an unelected board (quango) to make decisions for all Scotland.
Will German Tory, woman of power, Petra Biberbach be appointed to the unelected quango, to not only have supreme power over Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park but for all Scotland's planning applications - to be able to override what every councillor in Scotland decides for local people?
How has the power she wields been used so far, as well as widening the ban on wild camping, despite legislation to enshrine this
Britain's only Gold Mine approved in Scotland's National Park
On 20th Feb 2018, the Express ran the headline
"Britain’s GOLD BOOM: Underground mine with 200,000 ounces of gold to be opened"
with the story going on to claim
"BRITAIN could be about to reap the benefits of the opening of the nation's only underground gold mine which is poised to be given the green light for operation within months."...
The company has processed 2,400 tonnes of ore stockpiled outside the mine entrance from the 1980s, but supply is now dwindling. By reopening the mine, Scotgold Resources believe it will be able to tap into a whopping 560,000 tonnes of ore from an underground quarts vein carrying both gold and silver.
It is hoped it will attract both tourists and couples wanting niche Scottish gold wedding and engagement rings"....
"The first commercial gold mine in Scotland has been given full planning permission."
This is not just for Scotland but for the whole of the UK, with the BBC report going on to say
"The plan had received the backing of the planning director at Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority.The Cononish mine produced gold for the first time in August 2016 following the launch of an ore processing trial.It has previously had permission for trial operations on rock that was already extracted."
And it's not just Britain and an Australian company, reeping the rewards of the exploitation of Scotland's nation park ,as now we have a proposal by an English company to build a tacky Flamingoland (with a chalet complex - the real reason) in our Loch Lomond National Park, despite huge objections.
New Flamingo Land plans for Scotland's National Park
"Over 100 trees were “butchered” on land owned by Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park and Flamingo Land.
Staff at Loch Lomond Shores saw a group of men clearing the mature trees from the area next to the waterside and alerted the national park.Police were called and counted a total of 118 trees cut down in the area.They are working to trace the men responsible.
A police statement said: “Our enquiry shows there was no permission for the trees to be felled."
Police were called and counted a total of 118 trees cut down in the area. They are working to trace the men responsible. A police statement said:
“Our enquiry shows there was no permission for the trees to be felled."
“CCTV identifies the vehicle utilised by the males responsible. Our enquiry is ongoing and a crime report has been raised for malicious mischief.”
"The land, which looks on to Loch Lomond Shores, is owned by the national park with a smaller section owned by the Flamingo Land development company."
"Flamingo Land have set plans in motion for a £30million resort on the shores of Loch Lomond at Balloch.The developers of the project, which aim to include an indoor water park, spa and 60-bed hotel, are planning to submit an application for planning permission to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park by the end of the month."
"The developers of the project, which aim to include an indoor water park, spa and 60-bed hotel, are planning to submit an application for planning permission to Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park by the end of the month."
"The latest plans are expected to include a “high level woodland walkway” and a children’s area which developers say “will focus on wildlife, conservation and on supporting biodiversity for children aged three to nine.”Unlike, the Flamingo Land resort in Yorkshire, the Scottish plans do not include roller coasters or a theme park, but are said to be in keeping with the natural beauty of the area."
Of course, like the Gold Mine, the initial planning application is just changed again and again and again to expand the initial application (designed to disguise the true extent of plans) after the initial application has been approved.
Already the plans for profit have been revised (but could be revised back later) as the story goes on to say
"Previous details released to the public included plans for lodges, a boutique hotel, hostel and glamping pods as well as “high-quality family-based attractions and restaurants”.Original plans for a 100m viewing tower at Drumkinnon Wood have now been scrapped."
21 year old Green MSP, Ross Greer, the youngest MSP in Scotland, given a seat via Regional Lists, i.e. unelected by the people, like too many (40%) of MSP's said in April 2018
"“There’s a lot at stake and it’s vital concerns are voiced and carefully considered “That’s why I’m keen to raise my concerns in person with developers.”However, having met with a representative from Flamingo Land, he said progress had been made, despite still having reservations, especially concerning the use of woodland for lodges."
Yet the same story reveals in December 2017 Greer said
“This is a huge development, so if mistakes are made and the space is over-developed or inappropriately developed, an area world famous for its beauty could be spoiled forever and the community would suffer for it."
And it's not just the Greens we cannot rely on as this week we found the Scottish Government will be unlikely to protect the National Park from developments for profit, approved by Tory Petra Biberbach as we realise the Scottish Government is failing to protect one of the most important cultural heritage sites in Scotland (and the UK) - the Culloden Battlefield, despite the Minister of Culture's duty to protect this - with one planning application for a luxury housing development already approved - with four more now seeking approval.
It seems Scotland's national park is being totally exploited by the planning committee of our national park, led by a German Tory woman of power - who is also a favourite of the SNP government, who used Petra to recommend all Scotland's planning laws are changed - and accepted all her proposals.
In an interview in January 2018 Petra Biberbach was asked
"What was the most outrageous planning decision of 2017?"
Her reply
"The most outrageously good planning decision of 2017 was the decision to make the new planning bill focus on involving young people. We’ve been working for over a decade to proactively bring young people into the decision-making processes in communities across Scotland. Last year, we worked with students from Galashiels Academy to develop a new digital app version of the Place Standard tool, to help everyone have a say in how their place can be improved. Young people being involved at the earliest stages of decision-making is a good example of active citizenship in action."
Of course this is because young people don't know any better and can be indoctrinated into believing what a "charity" funded by the Scottish Government teaches them - how the new order should be - compliant.
It seems the Tories rule Scotland by default - why we are losing our rights to access to our national park and the exploiters for profit are taking over.
It's time to defend our national park - because the SNP government have no intention of doing so, as shown by the planning applications for Culloden Battlefield - as their friendly Tory woman of power, Petra Biberbach runs the show - not just in the National park and our planning laws for all Scotland and the SNP government's Zero Waste Scotland board - as she now also sits on the board of a massive Housing Association in Scotland - how did she get all this power when her LinkedIn profile hides where she came from before 2005?
Low friends in high places.