Councillor joins fight for Suntrap

Published on 14/07/2012 12:00

THE Capital’s health leader has added his voice to the campaign to keep the historic Suntrap Garden in public hands.

The Friends of Suntrap group, which occupies Millbuies House, has received a letter from Oatridge College – which jointly owns the site – saying they would have to leave by the end of the month or see the electricity supply cut.

College bosses have vowed to press ahead with the controversial sale of the land for development, and have said the campaigners had been given plenty of time to come up with a proposal to run the Gogarbank site.

But Ricky Henderson, convenor of the council’s Health, Social Care and Housing Committee and Pentland Hills councillor, branded the letter “outrageous”. He added: “It’s a valuable resource – various groups use it for its therapeutic value.

“I hope nobody will actually buy it. There will be planning issues and a campaign to keep it in public ownership.”

The Friends of Suntrap group want to buy or rent the site and transform it into a 
heritage, gardening and education centre.

They have asked for another six months to carry out fundraising.

Isobel Lodge, secretary of the Friends of Suntrap, has vowed to chain herself to a gate at the garden if threats of eviction are realised.