T in the Park 2017 has been cancelled, and the reasoning behind this unexpected move is more than a little unusual.
The Scottish festival has recently taken in Strathallan Castle in Perthshire, but it was discovered that the area has been used as a breeding ground for a pair of ospreys, a protected species of bird. It is against UK law to disturb these birds during breeding season, but while it was hoped that the osprey would not nest near Strathallan Castle, it has now been confirmed that the duo have been getting down to business. With T in the Park’s organisers having to pay £500,000 to ensure that the birds would not be disturbed this year, they have now released a statement to confirm that the ospreys have officially made the park their nesting ground this year, too, but that financial constraints would force them to cancel the event for the year.
The statement from the organisers reads: “As the build up to the festival was well underway we were informed by Scottish Government Ministers that we would have to apply for full Planning Permission due to the presence of an unregistered, but protected in law, osprey’s nest.
A pair of ospreys nesting in Scotland. (Credit: Jeff J Mitchell / Getty Images)
“The constraints – logistically and financially – that the resulting planning conditions put upon us are simply not workable.
“We tried our best to work with the pressures placed upon the site by bringing in an additional team and fixing the first year traffic issues, but ultimately we’re not in control of the overall site layout and the continued restrictions means that the negative impact on our fans and the limitations placed on their experience is too great.
“We now need to take stock and take a year out to try to resolve the issues so that we can once again deliver the kind of camping festival you are used to and deserve.”
Considering that T in the Park was met with this same problem last year, it’s uncertain whether or not organisers will be looking for another location to stage the festival in 2018. If the ospreys decide to stay in their Scottish castle home, then it could prove to be a huge financial burden for the event, forcing it to move away from Strathallan Castle in the near future.
