More often than not people who object to 'developments' are called NIMBYs, Treehuggers, Dreamers, Unrealistic....in this case we can show we are all of those and none of those! There is an alternative to Thatcherite hangover policies, and it is very much a modern and progressive alternative that currently is finding favour all over Scotland: Community ownership. The land currently is in the gift of Scottish Enterprise, an arm of government, however arm's-length it is still an arm. Much of the land it holds was previously Dumbarton Council's and prior to that, lost in the charters of old. It is within the power of the powers that be to take a turn for the better and declare this land for sale to the public at the cost of One Pound. This they could do. What then? Then it is for the community and when I say the community I mean the existing residents and businesses of Balloch to come together under a co-operative movement to share this land to benefit all. Every business would benefit as their interests would be served in co-operation with other's, not in dog-eat-dog competition, which ultimately leads to monopolies and stagnation. It would involve the local community council, and other bodies with strong interests in co-operation, such as the Maid of the Loch's charity. working with the entire community to foster what is already Balloch's true man-made jewel in the crown. It would involve local empowerment agencies, to foster skills building in crafts, seeking then to locate in sensitive properties on community land that never seeks to oust their neighbour or steal from them, but share the abundance of wealth coming into Balloch every year, fairly, equitably and in a spirit of providing visitors with true quality, experiences and products that are proud to bear the name of Balloch and honoured to have Loch Lomond as their backdrop. Such a venture of co-operation would also mean businesses talking to each other, assisting each other and where they see it as good for the future health, enabling healthy competition and choice, not destructive overbearing dominance. This would provide a proper future for Balloch's youth, who would grow up in an atmosphere of can-do but also a co-operative atmosphere that appeals to young people's sense of fair play and engagement. Balloch would retain its distinctive character, indeed it would flourish as visitors came and found it more appealing than places that offer monolithic attractions and dull merchandising. Balloch is not a place you come to make a holiday, it does not have the weather and when it does it has the midge! Balloch has grown around the passing trades and day trippers because it is ideal for that purpose. Building ever more accommodation is not a solution, it is a problem. It then has to justify itself by retaining people, and the only way to do that is to build ever more 'attractions' - that would only ensure the death of Balloch, and is the tourist industry equivalent of building in slums of the future. Much of the west side of Loch Lomond is now deeply unattractive,. so much so people take one look and speed on. If we are to make Balloch attractive so they stay and enjoy Balloch for a while, forcing them by ever building will have the opposite effect with a very short time. People flock to new things, then as the new things grow they tend to bore and look for other new things. Balloch has grown slowly, because that is the best way, organic sustainable growth has kept Balloch healthy. We need to take that lesson, a lesson that can survive sudden economic shocks, fads, fashions and hotel closures (Balloch has suffered the close of two huge hotels in its life in the past 40 years) by maintaining its true wealth, that of small core businesses in local hands keeping the customers satisfied but not ripping them off or growing into horrible bland mega concerns that ultimately ruin a village or town. And maintaining above all the open access, the views, the healthy flow of freely wandering and happy visitors. We do not need to make attractions in Balloch, nor do we need to force people here to stay and force feed them, we do need to make Balloch even more attractive, even more free, even more co-operative, and even more forward thinking in terms of ensuring a future that grows sustainable skills, businesses and local involvement. After all, people come here for the local experience, they dont come here for bland corporate tat. Having land in a public trust or co-operative would be far more beneficial than in the hands of one company that seeks to dominate our village and control our loch's views and access to itself. If you agree, share this, share the petition to demand government steps in and share the vision that all of Balloch's people, business owners, stakeholders, providers, residents and visitors can tend to Balloch for all time in co-operation and free from the taint of exploitation and greed so marked in Scottish Enterprises' dealings in our area since the very beginning. We needs now reject that destructive course before it is too late, and there are price tags on our very views.