The Dalkeith Country Park protest site is facing an eviction hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff court on the morning of Friday 25th November. "We urge people to come and support us at the court," one of those involved told Indymedia. The tree-sit protest aims to halt the building of a road through the Park. The hearing is due to take place at 9.45am on Friday 25th at the court in Edinburgh's Chambers Street. To locate the correct court room, ask at the information desk for the case of Alex Summers. The court is opposite the Royal Museum of Scotland, in Chambers Street which runs from George IV Bridge to the Bridges, in Edinburgh's Old Town. If the eviction order is granted then an eviction attempt could be made at any time. "People are needed at the site to stop the eviction and to stop the destruction in the park," said a supporter. The protest site tree-sit was set up on 31st October to stop the building of a road – the Dalkeith Northern By-pass of the A68 - through Dalkeith Country Park in Dalkeith, just south of Edinburgh. BACKGROUND INFO AND CONTACTS Dalkeith Country Park is a historic 850 acre park that serves as a valuable wildlife habitat and is visited by 50,000 people annually. The proposed bypass would cut the wildlife habitat in two, and while the 1999 Strategic Road Review noted it would offer journey savings, it also noted the bypass would cause "generally negative ratings in the other environmental factors, including global air quality, water, ecology, visual impacts, heritage, and landscape character." Although construction is not supposed to begin officially until the summer of 2006, because of the early spring nesting season of birds and bats, tree-felling is to begin immediately. In response to this emergency, anti-roads protesters have set-up a tree-sit and walkways in the pines that are in the path of the extension. Protesters will also be present at Midlothian Council's upcoming public review to help present the case against the bypasses through Dalkeith Park and through Bilston Glen. Protesters will remain in the trees until the bypass is defeated. CONTACT Dalkeith Protest Site Phone: 077839043697 For more information on the campaign to Save Dalkeith Country Park, visit the website of the local campaign: http://www.save-dalkeith-park.org.uk/ There is a petition on the Scottish Executive’s site running until the end of November: e-petitions. http://scottish.parliament.uk/list_petitions.asp Or you can email Midlothian Council directly at: local.planreview (at) midlothian.gov.uk or phone at Tel: 0131 270 7500 Directions to the Protest Site The site is in a stand of pines on the north side of the River Esk after the two branches have joined and near the cut for the overhead electric lines. Enter Dalkeith Country Park at the north end- entrance off of the A6094 at Smeaton Lodge (between Dalkeith and Whitecraig). Go past Home Farm towards the River Esk, after crossing the bridge the protest site can be accessed by the first farm track on the left (note the site is not accessible for vehicles). Alternatively, enter Dalkeith Country Park from the main entrance off of the High Street in Dalkeith. Stay on the road leading to the right past the adventure playground, shop and cafeteria; after passing the grazing fields and the power line cut the road will split. Take the left fork towards the River Esk. After crossing the bridge, the protest site can be accessed by the first farm track on the left. From Edinburgh, Lothian Buses 3 and 3a go to Dalkeith.

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http://www.save-dalkeith-park.org.uk/