Andy Murray pops into Park of Keir Inquiry

We got a big surprise this afternoon: Andy Murray walked in - straight from America.
 
He sat at the back of the room with his mother Judy.
 
Then it was the turn of the Murray family to be surprised as they listened to our witnesses give evidence.
 
Tennis never got mentioned. 
 
Because this Public Inquiry is all about planning regulations and whether the proposed project falls within the national planning guidelines.
 
It doesn’t.
 
Instead they heard octogenarian Malcolm Allan, local historian and retired librarian wax lyrical about the heritage, archaeology, and history of the site going back to Roman times right up to all the local opposition over the last 25 years about two communities seeking to retain their individual identities against rapacious developers wanting to build houses.
 
But the piece de resistance was the likely damage to the habitat of the rare corncrake. Here there followed a somewhat heated debate between the developer’s lawyer and Malcolm over corncrakes.
 
When their lawyer produced a document – as lawyers do- from Scottish Natural Heritage saying there was no endangered species Malcolm retorted:” Were they asked about corncrakes?”
At which point the Reporter intervened requesting further information be submitted at a later date.
 
All this must have come as a surprise to Andy Murray who thought it would be about his tennis legacy.
 
   Photo:  some members of RAGE - Residents Against Greenbelt Erosion- with Mr Maurice O’Carroll, our Advocate