[Your
Name]
[Your
Address]
Phone:
[Your
Phone
Number]
Email:
[Your
Email]
[Current
Date]
I
am
writing
with
regards
to
the
development
proposal
of
Pentland
Film
Studios,
the
included
Power
Station
and
Earth
Station
on
Greenbelt
land
(grade
2
and
3)
at
Old
Pentland,
Damhead.
I
wish
to
highlight
my
concerns
with
the
proposed
film
studio
development
which
includes
a
hotel
and
a
polluting
biomass
and
gas
Power
Station
larger
than
the
proposed
hotel
and
a
massive
'Earth
Station'
satellite
dish
(0.05
Ha
footprint,
equating
with
an
approx
22m
diameter
dish).
Neither
have
been
properly
included
in
the
planning
application,
and
there
has
been
no
mention
of
the
chimney,
cooling
towers,
the
pollution
levels,
noise,
and
the
environmental
and
health
impacts
these
will
have
on
the
local
community
and
wildlife
etc.)
It
is
very
clear
from
the
information
available
from
the
developers
that
this
is
not
an
appropriate
site
for
this
development
and
that
the
loss
of
agricultural
land
and
the
impact
this
will
have
on
Scotland's
capitol
city
Edinburgh's
Greenbelt
would
be
devastating.
Further
the
impact
this
will
have
on
the
local
community,
their
sustainable
vision
and
the
biodiversity
of
Edinburgh's
surrounding
green
space
which
is
enjoyed
by
thousands
weekly
will
be
very
damaging
and
irreversible.
Over
3,000
people
from
the
film
industry
have
petitioned
in
support
of
the
Pentland
Film
Studio
Development
effectively
signing
the
eviction
notice
for
the
local
farmer
and
his
family
on
the
grounds
that
a
studio
like
this
is
too
good
an
opportunity
to
pass
up
on
for
Scotland.
Farmer
Telfer
will
have
to
leave
his
privately
owned
family
home,
business,
livelihood
and
way
of
life
of
over
a
century
if
this
development
is
to
go
ahead.
Those
in
favour
have
dismissed
the
community's
comments
on
loss
of
agricultural
land
and
biodiversity
as
insignificant
-
and
would
see
heritage
buildings
demolished
and
green
space
trapped
under
28.6
meter
high
buildings
and
concrete.
My
objection
is
aligned
with
the
vision
that
underpins
Damhead's
local
Neighbourhood
Action
Plan,
heralded
by
the
Midlothian
Community
Planning
Partnership.
The
Neighbourhood
Plan
supports
Scottish
Government
ambitions
for
a
fairer,
greener,
healthier,
safer
and
wealthier
Scotland
including
government
policies
and
climate
targets.
The
same
cannot
be
true
for
the
Pentland
Proposal,
those
behind
the
proposal,
with
no
connection
to
the
local
land
or
the
people
are
pushing
forwards
at
all
costs
and
accusing
the
community
of
being
'loyal'
by
standing
up
for
their
farmers
rights.
The
Damhead
community
and
more
than
2,380
supporters
(from
our
petition)
and
I
agree,
are
adamant
that
there
are
other
sites
more
appropriate
for
this
development
and
with
better
access
and
potential
for
industry
use
such
as
being
able
to
accommodate
the
long
hours
that
the
film
industry
works,
which
the
current
site
at
Damhead,
Straiton
cannot
accommodate.
If
Scotland
wants
to
continue
leading
in
Climate
Targets,
sustainability
and
resilience
it
needs
to
start
looking
to
how
it
operates
on
the
ground,
starting
with
preserving
good
agricultural
land.
If
private
developers
are
enabled
by
our
government
to
manoeuvre
the
little
man
out
of
the
way
then
what
is
the
purpose
of
community
resilience,
community
planning
and
empowerment
and
what
has
become
of
planning
democracy.
Our
government
must
stop
siding
with
the
developers
and
start
preserving
and
supporting
land
based
industry,
agriculture,
green
space
and
our
communities.
Opposing
this
development
is
bigger
than
just
one
man
keeping
his
home
and
livelihood
as
has
been
branded
by
those
in
favour
of
the
development.
This
is
also
about
a
250
person
strong
community,
this
is
about
Scotland's
food
security,
the
dire
need
for
improved
legislation
to
protect
valuable
agricultural
land
and
those
who
work
the
land.
It
is
about
all
of
our
investments
in
the
land
and
all
of
our
future.
Damhead
and
the
Pentland
area
is
enjoyed
by
thousands
weekly
from
Edinburgh
and
further
afield
and
this
development
would
have
an
extremely
negative
impact
on
all
of
this.
Sadly
this
is
not
a
precedent.
It
should
be
a
principle
that
our
rights
to
enjoy
our
homes
and
livelihoods
should
trump
that
of
the
externally
driven
developers
and
that
our
land
is
more
important
than
private
development.
It
is
again
an
example
of
how
the
planning
process
is
skewed
in
favour
of
the
developers,
and
to
those
of
power
and
influence.
Whilst
this
development
is
obviously
a
much
needed
development
for
Scotland,
the
development
and
the
way
in
which
the
planning
process
has
progressed
has
indeed
caused
serious
concerns.
I
believe
it
is
of
national
importance
that
we
start
looking
after
our
very
scarce
and
finite
agricultural
land.
Grade
2
and
3
agricultural
land
make
up
less
than
8%
of
Scotland's
food
producing
land
and
once
these
soils
are
destroyed
there
is
no
going
back.
I
believe
it
is
of
national
importance
to
stand
up
and
support
community
empowerment
and
communities
actively
working
towards
greener,
fairer
and
more
sustainable
futures
for
Scotland.
The
community
of
Damhead
have
a
history
rooted
in
agricultural
practice
and
its
research
and
this
community
have
developed
a
long
term
vision
and
strategy
to
improve
and
develop
this,
working
with
their
local
council
and
aligning
themselves
with
Scottish
Governments
targets
for
food
sustainability
and
climate
change.
They
are
very
proud
of
the
incredible
network
of
small
holdings
in
the
area
currently
practicing
a
mix
of
traditional
and
organic
farming.
Call
these
contemporary
crofts
if
you
will-
but
it
is
absolutely
a
way
of
life
in
this
area
and
the
people
of
Damhead
and
neighbouring
communities
are
committed
to
it.
That
is
why
I
am
fighting
this
development,
and
this
would
stand
were
it
a
supermarket,
office
or
shopping
center.
I
am
very
aware
of
the
encroaching
development
already
taking
place
from
all
sides
of
Damhead
and
that
makes
this
pocket
unique
in
its
greenness
and
activeness.
I
am
fighting
and
will
continue
to
fight
for
Scotland's
agricultural
land,
Scotland's
biodiversity
and
heritage
in
order
to
continue
and
establish
Scotland
with
land
bases
industry
and
local
land
based
jobs.
As
I
have
said
Damhead's
heritage
is
that
of
farming
and
Jim
Telfer
represents
the
oldest
farm
stead
to
the
Damhead
community.
He
is
a
member
of
their
community
and
a
member
of
the
farming
community
to
Scotland
and
plays
a
huge
role
in
the
link
between
our
past
and
future
and
we
are
fighting
for
his
rights
as
a
member
of
our
community
and
as
a
citizen.
As
a
farmer
and
a
citizen
he
does
have
rights
and
under
no
circumstances
would
an
eviction
be
favored
by
any
in
our
community.
Needless
to
say
we
are
against
any
eviction
of
any
member
of
our
community
or
society
for
profit.
The
Damhead
community
stands
to
loose
everything
if
this
development
goes
ahead.
They
will
loose
valuable
agricultural
land,
which
would
also
be
a
huge
loss
for
Scotland,
we
would
loose
our
heritage,
our
green
spaces
and
network
of
farms,
our
biodiversity
but
also
the
rural
atmosphere
of
Damhead
and
way
of
life.
This
development
is
out
of
proportion
in
scale
to
the
local
landscape
and
is
not
an
appropriate
addition
because
of
its
land
use
change.
They
are
fighting
for
all
of
this,
against
land
use
change
and
for
their
neighbour,
land
steward
and
friend
and
I
support
them
in
this
fight.
Damhead
has
constructed
a
cohesive
vision
contained
in
their
community
planning
document
(Damhead
and
District
Neighbourhood
Plan)
demonstrating
the
potential
this
incredible
landscape
has
and
the
role
it
will
play
in
a
fairer,
greener
and
more
sustainable
future.
Should
this
development
go
ahead
Jim
will
loose
not
only
his
family
home,
but
his
livelihood
and
way
of
life.
When
you
farm
you
do
not
invest
in
tomorrow
but
in
the
earth
and
the
next
generation
and
he
will
loose
his
entire
life's
investment.
I
am
writing
to
you,
my
local
MSP
to
support
this
fight
for
communities-
not
just
in
Damhead,
but
communities
across
Scotland
who
are
tackling
sustainability,
community
empowerment
and
developing
and
improving
Scotland's
land
based
industry.
I
am
seeking
your
support
by
lobbying
Alex
Neil
to
recognize
the
seriousness
of
this
situation
and
the
importance
of
Scotland's
precious
agricultural
land
to
our
nation.
Saving
our
agricultural
and
food
production
land
from
concrete
is
of
National
Importance
and
the
proposed
site
at
Old
Pentland
is
not
an
appropriate
site
for
the
proposed
development.
Scotland
needs
a
studio
but
not
on
grade
2
and
3
agricultural
land
and
not
at
these
costs.
I
ask
you
to
consider
all
of
this
and
for
you
to
lobby
Alex
Neil
as
MSP
and
the
Cabinet
Secretary
for
Social
Justice
and
Communities.
With
thanks,
Yours
sincerely,
[Your
Name]