Battle lines are being drawn at Strathallan Castle as local T in the Park supporters launch an eleventh hour bid to safeguard the festival’s future.
The campaign follows comments by event chief Geoff Ellis, who warned that, without planning permission, the 21-year-old music extravaganza could cease to be.
Hundreds have backed a social media drive, calling for festival promoters DFConcerts to be allowed to host the summer show at the 1,600-acre estate, despiteconcerns about its impact on wildlife.
A final decision is expected to be taken by Perth and Kinross Council next month.
Terri Gow, who lives on the Perthshire estate, said she has been inundated with calls from supporters, asking for handmade red T signs to display at their homes.
“We’ve had about 30 requests this weekend alone,” she said. “I think we’re going to be kept really busy for the next few weeks.”
The 30-year-old hotel worker said a new CommuniTitp Facebook group formed after Mr Ellis revealed his fears on Saturday had drummed up interest in her andhusband Steven’s handiwork.
“People want to do something to show their support,” she said.“We’ve been getting calls from all around the area. It’s really taken off.
“I think T in the Park will be fantastic for the area and the Strathallan Estate would be a beautiful setting.Certainly, most of the people around here are very much in favour of it.”
The CommuniTitp page has had around 800 Likes on Facebook since it was launched by local residents on Saturday.
A representative of the team told The Courier: “We set this page up to let the locals have a way to show their support for T in the Park at Strathallan.
“There have been so many untruths and negative things from a secret minority that we wanted to redress the balance and put the facts straight.
“We wanted to show that T in the Park has not created so-called divisions or feuds, it has brought our community together.”
The group stressed that it is not affiliated with any corporate or official bodies.
The rival Strathallan T Action Group, known as Stag, mounted its campaign to block the festival some time ago.
Its members argue that T in the Park should not go ahead after ospreys were spotted at a nest near the main festival site.
DF Concerts is now in talks with RSPB Scotland about creating a buffer zone to protect the birds.
A Stag spokeswoman said: “We look forward to learning what the outcomes of those discussions are. We would urge RSPB to honour their commitment to keep the interest in the ospreys paramount.”
A spokeswoman for DF Concerts said: “When the final location of the osprey becomes clear, we will work with therelevant organisations on the development of our plans to agree an appropriate buffer zone and manage it accordingly.
“Aside from this, our planningapplication and environmental statement answers all questions posed by the statutory consultees and we remain confident thatwe can ensure the long-term protection of the wildlife as well as the future of theevent of Strathallan.”