Eats shoots and leaves for Glasgow

THEY were supposed to be the new stars at one of Edinburgh's most popular visitor attractions.

But the campaign to bring two giant pandas to Scotland from China took a new twist yesterday when it emerged they could end up in Glasgow.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) revealed it is considering building a brand new home for them in the heart of a major regeneration area in Glasgow's East End after running into major problems trying to revamp the historic Edinburgh Zoo site in the capital.

Derelict land due to be transformed in time for Glasgow's Commonwealth Games has been earmarked for a possible new "satellite" enclosure by the RZSS if officials are forced to drastically scale back plans to overhaul the historic site.

The society has confirmed it is looking at an alternative home at the Clyde Gateway development for the pandas amid fears it will be unable to afford a £70 million revamp of its 100-year-old home in Edinburgh.

It says it is being forced to look for an alternative home for the pandas – which are at the centre of a multi-million-pound campaign spearheaded by the society – as the current site will be unsuitable for them and the huge influx of extra visitors they are expected to attract.

Privately, officials hope that Glasgow City Council will offer financial support if the pandas are offered a home in the west.

The Scotsman revealed yesterday how plans to sell off around a sixth of the site at Corstorphine Hill for 120 homes had been thrown out after a public inquiry. It is thought housing will be banned completely from the most lucrative part of the site.

Officials admitted yesterday it was "almost inevitable" that the zoo would have to "shrink" as a result of the decision unless significant funding could be secured from the city council or the Scottish Government.

Although the zoo will be able to sell off part of its land, it is only expected to be able to generate a fraction of the £20m it was hoping for.

A major element of a 20-year masterplan, which has already seen Europe's biggest chimp enclosure created on the site, would have been the creation of a dedicated panda enclosure, visitor centre and research base.

However, David Windmill, chief executive of the RZSS, said the whole redevelopment of the zoo was now "left in limbo", as the society had no idea how many homes the council would allow to be built on the society's land or how much the land sale could generate.

He said uncertainties over the future of the zoo could themselves damage the bid to bring the pandas to Scotland, a campaign already backed by Alex Salmond and Gordon Brown.

Mr Windmill said: "Our long-term masterplan would see the zoo become a truly world-class facility.

"If we are to bring the pandas to the zoo, it is obvious we will need first-class facilities for them and also for the huge numbers of extra visitors they will attract.

"It's no secret that we are looking at creating a new facility in Glasgow and it is possible the pandas could end up there."

However, Tom Buchanan, Edinburgh City Council's tourism and economy leader, said: "It doesn't sound very realistic to me that the zoo would look at building a whole new facility for these pandas in Glasgow."

George Ryan, Glasgow's economic development leader, said: "We have been in regular contact with the society about the possibility of a facility being developed in Glasgow. While discussions have not specifically mentioned the possibility of pandas being located in the city, we would welcome any proposal that has a strong emphasis on conservation and education."

BACKGROUND OF CAPITAL'S £4M DEAL

EDINBURGH Zoo had been hoping to celebrate the arrival of two pandas at the attraction as early as next year.

The Scotsman revealed last May how senior officials at the RZSS were in advanced talks with the authorities in China over taking two of the iconic creatures to Edinburgh to breed.

The attraction would be the first in the UK to keep the animals since London Zoo returned its panda to China 14 years ago.

A £4 million deal, backed by the UK and Scottish governments, has been agreed in principle to clinch the ten-year loan of the pandas. First Minister Alex Salmond helped promote the bid on an official visit to China earlier this year.

If successful, the zoo would be expected to offer a package of financial aid and scientific expertise to support conservation programmes. The giant panda is among the most endangered species in the world. Only about 1,800 remain in the wild.