Bilston Glen: Wikis

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Bilston Glen is a SSSI 'protected' ancient woodland in Scotland and a site of ongoing protest against proposed road construction. It is about seven miles south from Edinburgh, near Penicuik and was given SSSI status for the wildlife (deer, squirrels, badgers, birds), the woodland (one of the few remaining areas of ancient woodland), the undergrowth (typical of ancient woodland, with many rare marsh herbs) and the underlying geology.

The land is owned by Edinburgh University (Jim Neil, director of
the uni estates and buildings, has confirmend that, as has the Lands
Registry)

Proposed Road Construction

The A701 currently runs through the village of Bilston, next to the woodland.

In 2000, Midlothian Council applied to the Scottish Executive for planning permission to 're-align' the A701. 407 local people wrote letters of opposition to the road expansion at that stage, (2 letters supporting the expansion) but the Executive decided
to refuse the requests for a public enquiry, and permisson was granted in February 2000.

It was originally to be funded by PFI with PPL, a company from the biotech cluster (founded around the Roslin Institute, famous for cloning Dolly the sheep). The project is no longer being funded by PFI it is now to be funded by Midlothian Council. Funding has been
earmarked post 2006 in the Council's Capital Plan. [from Pam Stocks, strategic services, Midlothian Council - by email]

The Current Transport Study

In 2002, Midlothian Council commissioned a study by Halcrow into multi-modal transport options for the A701 corridor. The study was finished in December 2003 and Midlothian Council have the final report. It states that the road realignment would:

be dangerous for local communities

be (and is) strongly opposed by local communities

be environmentally damaging to the land in the area

encourage car use, in contradiction to the Midlothian Council and Scottish Executive commitment to creating a shift towards more sustainable transport

([1268])

Local opposition to the road

As well as hundreds of letters, the locally based NAAG campaign group held mass demos and candlelit vigils in the glen. Their website has detail on the
environmental damage of the road, and on local opposition to the road.

Robin Harper [1269] of the Scotlish Green Pary also campaigned against it.

Local Support for the Road

Various public agencies support proposed road construction. The Midlothian council is in favor of the road ([1270]).
The Edinburgh City council is also in favor of the road in the - EDINBURGH AND THE LOTHIANS STRUCTURE PLAN 2015 ([1271]).

PPL and 'The Bush' edustrial estate ([1272])

The Roslin Institue

The Protest Site

The protest site has existed since June 2002. It started as a small shelter under the bridge, and it has been gradually built up to house a woodland community. It exists as a concrete obstruction to the road construction, and as a non-hierarchal woodland community, dedicated to minimising the impact on the environment. It has treehouses and other defenses, to help stop bailiffs and the bulldozers.

Protestors live in treehouses and a few ground structures, where there is a kitchen, communal areas for cooking, drinking, talking, storytelling, a stage for bands and parties, and places for visitors to sleep. Community members welcome anyone for a visit, for a cup of tea, a beer, a few nights, a few weeks or months, or whatever.

Environmental concerns on site

They try to minimise their impact on the land with

paths to minimise erosion

a compost toilet

low impact building techniques, eg using wood to build our houses and structures, not metal and concrete, and everythign is tied, not nailed, onto the trees

taking most of our building materials, food, etc, from the skips in the industrial estate

recycle as much as possible (site looks like womble central)

a commitment to remove everything they have brought in to the forest, and leave a beautiful glen for people in the surrounding area to use

when they take our houses down there will be no sign that they were there. You can't just 'take down' a road or a city and leave a forest - disused roads leave tarmac, and destroyed buildings leave concrete, rubble and wasteland.