School row

WE WRITE in response to the letter from Jackie Brock et al (4 April). First, the Portobello Park Action Group is not and never has been against the building of a new school. Ms Brock knows this and contrary to their statement, many of the signatories of her letter did not support PPAG taking this to court.

PPAG’s objection is to the unnecessary and irretrievable loss of 25 per cent of Portobello’s parkland when there are other suitable brownfield sites where the school could be built. Some 300 people objected to the planning application, so we can hardly be dismissed as a “small band”.

We are appealing the Court of Session judgment because, if it is allowed to stand, no-one will be able to challenge decisions to appropriate or alienate common good land in law. This is no longer just an issue for Portobello but for the whole of Scotland and, therefore, we believe that there is a strong public interest in appealing this decision.

The claim that the school will be delayed for several years because of the appeal is spurious, as the capital funding is in place and even if a re-tendering exercise is needed, this can be done within six months under European procurement procedures. PPAG always has been about protecting Portobello Park from development, and challenging a plan we believe to be wrong.

Diana Cairns, Alison Connelly, Pauline Cowan, Sheila Fletcher, Kate Gillon, Oula Jones, Raye Manshouri, Ian Ross, Lynn Sylvester, Maria Baikie, Paul Baikie, Bernard Ayers, Ella Ayers, Irene Duncan, Anne Fernie, Charles Douglas, Jean McInally, Kate Neilson, Graeme Neilson, Nita Marshall, Jennifer McGowan, Anthony McGowan, Peggy Ferguson