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There is no plan to build on the field as yet, but the land has been marketed by estate agent Strutt & Parker as having “development potential” so it should be no surprise there has been a fair bit of interest.
A number of offers have been received, which would suggest that someone is going to pay top dollar. Two protest launches are set to take place at the car park, a Labour one tomorrow with MP Ian Murray and Councillor Paul Godzik and a Green one next week with MSP Alison Johnstone and Councillor Melanie Main.
Few locals know who owns the land, but thanks to website Land Matters, run by Green land reform campaigner Andy Wightman, the complexities of many ownership transfers lodged with the Land Registry have been laid bare to reveal the land has effectively been in the same family since 1923.
The family is the Laings, descendants of Sir Alexander Grant, the managing director of McVitie’s Biscuits who died in 1937. One of his descendants is Jamie Laing, the millionaire clothing entrepreneur and star of Made in Chelsea.
Unlike the Craighouse site nearby, there is no question this land is in the green belt and if there was any hint of building going ahead the same forces which opposed Craighouse and Raeburn Place would be marshalled against it.
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http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/opinion/john-mclellan-the-arts-of-the-matter-1-3682090 (scroll down)
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