A NEST of ospreys which could have jeopardised the new site of the T in the Park festival are also to find a new home.
The promoters of Scotland's biggest music festival are confident they will be given permission to stage T in the Park at its proposed new venue of Strathallan Castle and are to move the nest of ospreys, a protected species, as part of their plans.
The festival has consulted with the RSPB, Scottish Natural Heritage and leading osprey experts in the UK over how to avoid affecting the nest on the 1,000-acre estate.
The plan is to move the osprey's nest to another location within the estate in the next couple of months.
The operation, which involves moving the nest while the bird of prey is away, has been carried out by experts "countless times" over the years in different locations in Scotland, a festival source said.
A spokeswoman for the festival said: "The advice we have been given is that there is no reason the ospreys could not continue to successfully rear young on the estate with T in the Park there.
"The young are likely to have either fledged or they will be about to fledge by the time the event takes place."
Organisers DF Concerts were forced to move to the castle due to safety issues associated with an oil pipeline at Balado, a site which was used for 18 years.
Geoff Ellis, the festival's director, said there had been local "scaremongering" over the effects of holding the annual event at Strathallan Castle in Perthshire.
Concerns have included the impact on local roads and the disturbance of the local rural environment. Nearby Gleneagles Hotel has also lodged a series of concerns about the effects of the festival.
Perth and Kinross Council is due to formally consider planning permission for the festival in April, but Mr Ellis said he was confident the event would take place on the site in July.
"I don't want to sound arrogant or prejudging decisions, that is wrong and I would never do that," Mr Ellis said.
"But we only put on concerts and T in the Park because we know that we can make them work and get the licence subject to the conditions that are put upon us.
"We would be foolish to go somewhere where we didn't think we could be going to get consent."
The festival has unveiled its line-up for the event, which takes place from July 10-12, with headline acts including Kasabian, The Libertines and Avicii.
Mr Ellis added: "The overwhelming feeling locally is one of support.
"You have some people who just don't want a music festival to happen there, and that's their prerogative, but those objections have to be reasonable.
"There is a bit of scaremongering going on which creates some fear, but countering that a lot of local businesses very much want the event."
A local group, Strathallan T Action Group, has been issuing leaflets campaigning against the festival.
Last night the Gleneagles hotel and golf course clarified its position over the event.
A spokeswoman said the hotel has not lodged a formal objection but a "letter of comment" to planning officials.
The hotel's managing director, Bernard Murphy, said the venue recognised the "appetite for this event and how important it is for tourism".
He said: "We have not objected to the event taking place.
"As part of the public consultation we have raised some specific matters about which we would like to have greater clarity.
"These matters principally concern noise, traffic management and public nuisance and have been discussed with DF Concerts over recent months.
"We hope that by raising these matters at an early stage, DF Concerts and the various public agencies involved will be able to be address them to minimise their impact on the local community."
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) has withdrawn its objection to plans for the festival after receiving assurances from organisers that concerns about possible flooding on the planned campsite will be addressed.
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