If you read no further please know that this petition is to help stop developments and destruction of nature (inc’ endangered species) and history in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs national park. Your signature could be the one that helps us achieve the goals outlined below.

THE NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITIES HAVE THE POWER TO STOP THIS DEVELOPMENT AND SAVE THE AREA AND WILDLIFE BUT WE NEED THE PUBLICS SUPPORT TO HELP STRENGTHEN OUR CASE AGAINST THIS MONEY MAKING VENTURE.

This petition is in opposition to an extreme development planning proposal on the Pirniehall Estate in Croftamie.

In the long term and wider scale we hope that by achieving our aim Pirniehall will be the foundation of better things to come for nature conservation areas, natural countryside maintenance and furthermore to ensure there is restricted development in these areas. 

This is a lengthy read but we are trying to give you the best insight possible. 

A blatantly commercial planning/development venture has been submitted to the LLTNP for the grounds and building of Pirniehall Estate.  No matter which way it is garnished it is evident that this is commercially driven with no consideration nor care for the countryside, wildlife, trees, protected species, general environment or village community.

Plans consist of turning this beautiful conservation area in to what has been referred to as a “holiday camp” with (if you investigate further) spec for selling individual housing plots. 

The current plan consists of “X” amount of dwellings/plots/chalets/tree houses; leisure facilities and a food outlet – we use “X” as this plan is forever growing - last count there was over 30 “holiday lets”.

In the words of the hired planning advisor “The owner is forever coming up with new ideas to add to the plans and sometimes I can’t keep up”, he has also stated that the owner  “is a businessman and he needs the money from the holiday lets to fund his plan and lifestyle”. 

A further quote from the planning advisor is “If it gets the go-ahead there is always an option for the owner to sell the plots he creates - once the plan is implemented there is absolutely nothing to stop the resale of Pirniehall itself and/or the individual plots for a huge profit” – this scenario leaves the community and national park with what can only be regarded as an abomination, let alone the destruction of a beautiful piece of unspoiled countryside which could be easily used as a natural visitor experience. 

One of the gatehouses to this estate already hosts at least 6 generous holiday lets and it is definitely worth noting that the noise levels resonating from the lets both day and night can reach unacceptable levels.

An adjacent neighbouring property also have their own holiday lets – how much more of this greenbelt area/national park is going to be given over to this type of enterprise before a line is drawn that offers some protection to the countryside, nature, environment etc?  

The national park is being farmed out to development bit by bit with no conservation efforts from the LLTNP.

In November (’21) the UK hosted one of the largest and hard-hitting conventions in the world – COP26 Advanced Carbon Management.  In accordance with the aims and objectives discussed and set out during COP26 the proposed development of Pirniehall Estate is in no way conducive to this already unstable and beautiful rural environment.  The amount of emissions that this proposed development would bring would be a devastating addition to an already fragile planet.  The amount of fumes generated by the increased vehicles and waste from the development and the people using the facilities would spell the start of an irreversible breakdown to a greenbelt area.  

Further to the above facts; people who will use this type of facility will bring with them litter; noise pollution; greater footfall; vastly increased sewage production – and more. The trees, wildlife and natural beauty this will soon be lost if this venture goes ahead.  

We would like to draw attention to the destructive activities (documented within news and social media) at the Devils Pulpit (and that is a NATURAL VE – not the proposed “holiday camp” style VE). 

There are various protected species that nest/roost/hunt/visit/grow in the area of Pirniehall Estate including: barn owls; tawny owls; various species of bats; swifts; swallows; red squirrels; deer; woodpeckers; newts; hedgehogs.

The owner has commenced the clearing of the inside of Pirniehall meaning the natural habitat has already been disturbed and it is noticeable that the barn owls and bats have been affected by this.  

There are many protected trees (TPO in place for over 30 years) which the plans show some of which will be felled while others will be topped, limbed and crown lifted.  The land also hosts a mature, established and productive orchard while a variety of wild Orchis pepper the grounds.

Please bear in mind that the following statement in the proposal of “we are keeping some trees” means nothing when considering the tree conservation as digging, general ground disturbance, crown-lifting, weight distribution of tree house accommodation and the likes of will damage (if not kill) the trees left standing due to their age and prolific root spread (of which begin as shallow as 60cm from surface level). Root systems of these mature trees expand further than their branch spread. 

A further objection comes from the road safety/usage/maintenance prospective of this potential development - The first application stated that the owner was resolute on only one gate entrance to the “holiday park” and that would be via our entrance – it was of no interest to the said party that the increase of vehicles; bins; sanitation trucks; sewage trucks etc would be passing our door in exceptionally close confines - we have stayed in our residence for over 60 years.

The council already (self admittedly) struggle to maintain the roads in our area – potholes; verges; bridges etc and the proposal states the owner will not be liable to contribute to the country road maintenance even though his plans will increase the road usage extravagantly. 

The increased destruction; littering; road and parking issues and dangerous driving at a close by natural VE (the devils pulpit) had the local community, police and routine road users up in arms and was not only raised with MPs but taken to the council, newspapers and social media so can you imagine the carnage if this venture gets approved? 

The crossroads at Pirniehall has had numerous accidents over the years – including a hit and run – and this risk will indefinitely increase with the heightened traffic in an area that is not suited to it.  

This area is a RURAL setting and the local farmers rely on the roads for their machinery and livestock movement.

A shift in the land use will destroy local nature/environment and in essence will contribute to climate change. 

The national park state they will look at any visitor experience proposals in an attempt to support the area – The area in question is a rural, natural and farming community so surely that speaks volumes on the fact that the area should be naturally maintained with the visitor experience being (what it has been since the Pirniehall school and conference centre closed over 20 years ago) a step into nature, a chance for people to enjoy and benefit from the natural surroundings, history and wildlife. 

The natural habitat (such as the nesting barn owls) will not tolerate the noise of the clearance, machinery and general disruption – it seems extremely suspect that building clearance was commenced whilst waiting for the species reports to be carried out.  It is also opportunistic that the likes of the “bat survey” was carried out by a general ecologist hired by the owner and not an independent Chiropterologist. 

Agreeing to this development would be a privatisation of public space as even though the land is purchased ALL surrounding areas will be affected – including the serenity of a public right-of-way and cycle path.

The development proposal is completely unsympathetic to the areas character – and the village as a whole. 

We would also like to include within this petition that there are already plans in for Flamingo Land and Little America – both of these proposed developments are substantial to say the least and within 15-20 minutes drive from Pirniehall Estate – the amount of natural decimation, destruction and pollution from developments of this calibre is astronomical - can you really say supporting a further substantial development is beneficial to the national park? Dalnair house and its land has been developed into housing, a large housing proposal has just been given the go ahead for not even 1 mile from Pirniehall - it really looks like conservation and environmental issues are key to the LLTNP (sic).

An extremely high percentage of visitors to the national park are people who stay in towns and they just love the country for a bit of “nature time” - so why increase the building and developments to reduce more of the countryside? 

Another wider spread effect of this proposed plan would be on the NHS. Areas with “holiday parks” and the likes have a higher percentage of accidents/requirement of medical attention – our local GP is already stretched to the seams for the community’s medical needs. Our nearest hospital does not have an accident and emergency department (not to mention the exceptionally limited ambulance availability to our area).  Ambulances have already had to do double pick-ups to transport emergency patients.  

Further concerns which are self-explanatory include the effects on the community’s already poor water pressure, the reduced internet speeds, the gas and electricity rerouting and community disruption, the lighting that would be required on the property come evenings/night effecting the surrounding area and wildlife and such likes. 

Should the owner acquire the planning permission it has been stated that he will then be entitled to build on that permission to grow his development by submitting further applications and if refused would have the right to appeal them on the basis that the parks granted the primary application. 

Please help our voice be heard by supporting our petition against the development and the support conservation of our area, nature, roads, climate and national park. 

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM - Together we can do this so please just take 1 minute of your time to support us. 

There will always be developments but once nature is destroyed it’s gone.