A landowner has denied trying to evict a tenant farmer to make way for a £140m film studio.

Nick Gibsone owns farmland which will form part of the 106-acre Pentland Film Studios, Midlothian, if his planning application is successful.

Campaigners Protect Damhead Greenbelt have accused the landowner of threatening to evict farmer Jim Telfer.

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But Mr Gibsone has said that he has offered Mr Telfer farmland elsewhere.

He said: "The allegations are outrageous, wrong and defamatory of us as a family.

''We will be taking legal advice immediately.

"We have never issued any threats to anyone and have always sought to do the right thing.

''We have made a number of offers in good faith to the farmer in question who farms approximately 56 acres of a small holding.

"These offers include him and his wife remaining in the farmhouse and also having land to farm should they wish.

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"We have also offered a substantial financial package that could be increased should they choose to leave the farm.

"There is no question of them being forced to leave their home.

''There are a number of offers on the table and also an offer of independent mediation.

"The campaign group has blatantly misrepresented the situation for its own ends which are to stop the film studio development at all costs."

But the grassroots campaign say that Mr Gibsone tried to remove Mr Telfer in 2013.

A spokesman for Protect Damhead Greenbelt said: "The landowner did seek to remove the Telfer family by resumption of the small holding in 2013 and there are eyewitnesses of this event.

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"Jim Telfer was requested by Nick Gibsone to sign a document to release the ground from agricultural use.

"The Deloitte report dated 29 July 2015 states 'Purchase missives although concluded, are conditional upon securing the Planning Permission in Principle (PPP) and the current owner providing vacant possession'.

"Whilst an offer was made much later in 2016, not a single detail of the planning application and appeal currently with Scottish Government recognizes this claim by the landowner for the landholder to 'remain in the farmhouse and also have land to farm should they wish.

"It remains to be seen that the Telfer family would be removed from the site if this development proposal is to go ahead.

"Indeed the proposed Studio Tour building in the application is to be built directly on the Telfer farmhouse.

"The Telfer family have no intention of abandoning their home or lease for the site and the Scottish Land Court would have to rule to remove the Telfer Family from the Pentland Film Studio site.

"Recent statements by the landowner only seek to diminish the local community and the campaign."