T In The Park Set For New Home

25 June 2014, 12:45

Scotland's biggest music festival is on the move for the second time.

After 18 years T in the Park will move from Balado to Strathallan Castle estate, around 20 miles away.

A deal has been struck to shift the festival in 2015 following health and safety concerns about an underground oil pipeline at the current site.

Organiser DF Concerts made the announcement this lunchtime.

Strathallan Castle is three miles from Auchterarder, to the south west of Perth. The castle and estate have been owned by the Roberts family since 1910.

T in the Park has attracted many of the biggest names in music since it began 20 years ago. The event was originally held at Strathclyde Park, Lanarkshire, but moved to the disused Balado airfield in Kinross-shire in 1997.

Around 85,000 revellers are expected to watch performances by Arctic Monkeys, Calvin Harris and Biffy Clyro at this year's show from July 11 to 13.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has raised persistent objections to Balado's proximity to the BP Forties pipeline running from the North Sea to a processing plant near Grangemouth.

The body agreed not to refer their objections to Scottish ministers this year, provided T in the Park moved away from the site from 2015.

A spokesman said earlier this year: '''HSE has consistently advised Perth & Kinross Council against granting planning permission because in our view the public safety risks it presents mean the site is not suitable for an event of this scale and nature.

''With large numbers of people in close proximity to a major hazard pipeline, our view is that the proposed development raises safety issues of substantial concern."