Sep 27 2016
Small Landholding tenant farmer faces eviction
Scottish Tenant Farmers Association
News Release
26th September 2016
Small Landholding tenant farmer faces eviction
The Scottish Tenant Farmers Association is concerned to hear that a small landholding tenant faces losing his farm if the Scottish Government approves a planning proposal for a film studio and other developments on his small holding on the outskirts of Edinburgh.
Commenting, STFA director Angus McCall said; “Local residents are fighting to prevent the imposition of what appears to be a substantial development, including a film studio and a Gas, Chip and Pellet fired Power Station, on prime agricultural land against the will of the farmer, the local community at Damhead, and The Midlothian Council.
“This situation also highlights the vulnerability of tenant farmers who are powerless to resist a notice to quit if planning permission is granted over the whole holding. Small landholding tenants such as Mr Telfer have even less protection against development and are even more at risk. STFA has been lobbying the Scottish Government to modernise this anachronistic form of land tenure and, at last the government has agreed to conduct a survey of Small Landholding tenants to seek solutions to their plight. This however will be scant comfort to Mr Telfer who faces losing his century old tenancy although it is understood that he may be able to continue to occupy his house in the meantime..
“The Damhead Community are petitioning the Scottish Parliament to stop the eviction and are urging supporters to sign the petition by 28th September for presenting to the Parliament the following day.
The petition can be found online at https://www.change.org/p/demand-scottish-government-reject-pentland-studio-planning-application-stop-eviction-of-our-farmers-stop-development-of-trojan-horse-power-stations-in-the-greenbelt”
The Damhead Community’s statement has been removed from this site due claims of defamatory content.