The outstanding scenic qualities of the Loch Lomond area have been recognised for many years. Various proposals to establish National Parks in Scotland were made in the post-war years including the Loch Lomond and Trossachs areas. These proposals were not adopted. It was considered that National Parks were unnecessary in Scotland because of the generally unrestricted access to open countryside and the fact that the pressures for development and the numbers of visitors were much less than in England. The Secretary of State for Scotland did, however, give these areas official recognition by issuing National Park Direction Area (NPDA) Orders in 1948. The Loch Lomond-Trossachs NPDA Order allowed the Secretary of State to examine development proposals and to intervene when he considered that they might have an effect on the character of the area.
Since that time the pressures have steadily grown and the need to protect the scenic qualities from excessive visitor use and proposals for development has been causing the Planning Authorities increasing concern. Additional planning control measures have been introduced such as the Areas of Great Landscape Value designated in the County Development Plans, Conservation Areas for selected village, Article 4 Directions to limit the number of developments which can take place without planning permission and Areas of Special Control for advertisements.
The Planning Authorities have exercised strict planning controls but there has been no common framework for the control of development throughout the area. In recognition of the need for a co-ordinated approach, the Loch Lomond Technical Group was formed in 1972 (Appendix A). This Group prepared a number of reports which have provided basic information for the current work. In 1974, the Countryside Commission for Scotland published the "Loch Lomond Recreation Report" which has provided the major source of information on recreation and tourist resources and visitor activities in the area.
The value of the Loch Lomond area for nature conservation was part of the reason for its selection as a potential National Park. Further recognition and tourist resources and visitor activities in the area.
The value of the Loch Lomond area for nature conservation was part of the reason for its selection as a potential National Park. Further recognition of this aspect was given by the selection of the loch and various parts of the surrounding area for inclusion in a review of areas of importance for Nature Conservation in a United Kingdom context. (A Nature Conservation Review, 1977). The Secretary of State for Scotland gave official recognition to the importance of these areas by issuing the National Planning Guidelines on Nature Conservation which provide for his intervention over any proposed developments affecting their nature conservation value.
Finally, in 1980 the National Park Direction Area Orders were themselves superseded by Directions made under the Town and Country Planning (General Development) (Scotland) Order. These require the local planning authorities to notify the Countryside Commission of certain categories of development in National Scenic Areas, and also extends the categories subject to planning control in these areas. Only where the local planning authority wish to grant permission for any such developments against the advice of the Countryside Commission need the applications be referred to the Secretary of State for Scotland.