THE war of words over a controversial development has been escalated after the firm behind it branded campaigners' claims "misleading".

In an exclusive interview with the Reporter Flamingo Land director of sales Andy Miller claimed those against the £30 million plans at Balloch "sensationalised" material sent to the public.

Mr Miller, who is originally from the Vale but now works in North Yorkshire for the company, said people may have been misled by materials sent out by Green MSP Ross Greer, which asked people to help "Save Loch Lomond".

The director said: "I've seen the material sent out by Ross, and it makes it seem like we're going to destroy Loch Lomond, which obviously isn't the case."

Mr Miller added: "I think the way they've put their case forward, particularly saying they want to 'save Loch Lomond', has been sensationalised."

Mr Greer has spearheaded a campaign by his party to scrap the proposals, which has garnered 57,000 individual objections from members of the public.

The Green MSP, who represents the West of Scotland region, dubbed the application "the least popular in Scottish history".

Mr Miller also said people who are in favour of the development, which is due to be voted on by the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park Authority before the end of the summer, would not have been made welcome at a public meeting held in Balloch three weeks ago.

Campaign group Save Loch Lomond were behind the meeting, which saw 267 people, along with several politicians, voice their opposition to the plans.

There were no representations made in favour of the Flamingo Land application during the meeting - either from the politicians, or members of the public.

Mr Miller said: "That was a meeting by Save Loch Lomond, and I we didn't expect anyone who supported our plans to actually attend that meeting.

"I don't think it's something they would have been made welcome at."

According to Mr Miller, the strength of feeling of those in favour of the development may have had an impact on them speaking out.

He said: "I think when people are in favour of something, they're less likely to shout about it from the rooftops than if they are against it, and I think that's what we're seeing happening here."

Flamingo Land, along with joint applicants Scottish Enterprise, lodged the proposals with the national park authority last year, causing uproar amongst the local community, who questioned the environmental impact of the development, along with how the increase in traffic would impact the nearby A82, which campaigners say is already over-crowded.

The theme park developer is looking to build a 60-bed apartment hotel, along with a brewery, a water park and more than 100 holiday lodges, along with a monorail between the site, on the southern tip of Loch Lomond, to Station Square in Balloch.

In its last meeting before the summer recess, West Dunbartonshire councillors voted unanimously to formally object to the plans.

As a neighbouring authority, WDC is a statutory consultee on the plans.

Mr Miller branded the move by the council "disappointing", taking exception to some of the claims made in the motion put forward by council leader Jonathan McColl, which was amended and passed by councillors at the meeting.

The motion claimed the plans represented an "overdevelopment" of the site, which Mr Miller stringently refuted.

He said: "It would have been great if we could have got their support for these proposals, but they've taken a different line.

"We're also a bit disappointed with some things that were mentioned in the motion, which we don't strictly agree with.

"Being a local, I'm not really sure how they've decided this is an overdevelopment of the site."