Planning Bosses Back T In The Park

The staging of T in the Park at Strathallan Castle this summer has been given the green light by planning bosses but still needs the approval of councillors.

DF Concerts, which runs Scotland's biggest music festival, announced it was moving from its regular site in Balado as safety concerns grew over its proximity to a large oil pipeline.

It was initially thought that the event could operate in the grounds of the 19th-century castle with a permitted development and a public entertainment licence, but the discovery of osprey at Strathallan meant a formal planning application and an environmental statement was required with Perth and Kinross Council.

Two public consultations on the application were held, with some environmental groups and local residents critical of the plans.

Perth and Kinross Council's development management committee said it has reviewed the consultation responses and that "the development complies with the relevant provisions of the development plan''.

Councillors will now vote on the plans at a meeting on May 12.

An osprey nest close to the proposed site sparked a dispute between the festival's organisers and opponents but the development committee said mitigation measures for wildlife and forestry are "considered to be appropriate''.

DF Concerts' experience of running large-scale events in other "sensitive environments'' was also highlighted.

As well as examining consultation responses, the report also considered "traffic and transport implications, ecology and ornithology, landscape and visual impact, cultural heritage and other issues''.

A summary of the decision read: "This report recommends approval of the application for a temporary period to allow for a single event (music festival) to take place in 2015, 2016 and 2017.

"This period is considered appropriate as it will allow for monitoring and review of all aspects of the event to be undertaken to inform future assessment of the event at Strathallan.

"Furthermore, on the basis of the submitted information and review of all consultation responses and letters of representation, it is considered that the development complies with the relevant provisions of the development plan and there are no material considerations apparent which outweigh the development plan.''

Despite the ongoing application, the line-up for the festival held between July 10 and 12 has been announced, with Kasabian, The Libertines, Twin Atlantic and Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds named as some of the headline acts.