GARETH ROSE AND FIONA MCGLYNN

A SECOND campsite is being lined up to house G8 protesters in Edinburgh. Council chiefs will not reveal the location of the back-up site which will be drafted in to cope with overspill from the massive camp planned for the Jack Kane Centre in Craigmillar.

But it is understood sites in Saughton, Sighthill and Silverknowes have already been identified as suitable.

Hundreds of thousands of people are expected in the city to take part in various demonstrations in the run-up to the G8 summit in Gleneagles, starting with a massive Make Poverty History march through the city on July 2.

It is feared the Craigmillar site, which will be open from July 1 to 8, will be unable to cope with demand. The areas of land being considered for a second site are thought to be a mile north-east of Lauriston Castle, in Silverknowes; Saughton Park; and opposite Stevenson College in Sighthill.

Planners are now looking at what transport, safety, litter and toilet provisions could be made available. The news comes with residents near Hunter's Hall Park by the Jack Kane Centre already considering legal action against the council to stop it putting G8 protesters so close to their homes. They claim the park was gifted to the people by owners of the Wauchope Estate, not to the council.

Not only is the council confident of being allowed to use the land, it believes 15,000 protesters can be accommodated there. A council spokesman confirmed that a back-up site was being looked at but said it might not be necessary.

But that will not appease residents in Sighthill, Saughton and Silverknowes who are outraged land close to their homes is even being considered.

Ronald Cairns, chairman of the Sighthill, Broomhouse and Parkhead Community Council, said: "I think it would be almost beyond belief if the council put people here. There's nothing that would make the area opposite the college suitable - it's just open land.

"It's so close to Broomhouse that there could well be fighting.

"The flats there are well known as a haunt for drug users. We are trying to clean up the area."

He said no-one in the community had any idea Sighthill was being considered.

Mr Cairns said: "They should have warned us before now. But the council never seems to warn us, these things just slip out. They talk about consultation, but all that means is they let us know what they are planning on Monday and expect a response on Tuesday. If they choose Sighthill there will be a public outcry.

"The transport system would not be able to cope, the shops would not be able to cope. All we've got is five wee shops. How could we cope with all those people? This is a residential area."

People living near Saughton were equally shocked but said they would be prepared to "batten down the hatches".

Walter Spence, of Stenhouse Community Council, which covers Saughton, said: "Like people in Craigmillar, I don't think people here would be very pleased if the area was chosen to house G8 protesters. The number of people and the type of people would be a real concern."

Mr Spence said that crime, public safety and vandalism would top their list of worries and a community council meeting would be held to discuss a response.

He said: "The first thing I would do if Saughton was chosen is go to the community council and ask members if they thought we should take any action.

"Like anyone else I think they would have a bit of a moan. But I think we would batten down the hatches and say: 'Well there's not a lot we can do about this'."

It is less clear where in Silverknowes the council might consider putting a G8 campsite.

However, residents said travellers spent time on land a mile north-east of Lauriston Castle about four years ago.

And they have bad memories of what it was like having a campsite so close to their homes.

William Scholes, chairman of the Cramond Community Council, said: "There were huge problems while the travellers were here. The police were concerned about their presence, there was a lot of refuse left about."

And he said that experience would make residents uneasy about the prospect of G8 protesters turning up.

Mr Scholes said: "I don't think their presence would be welcomed. The community council has not been consulted on this in any way whatsoever."