Residents concerned over land purchase on seafront at South Queensferry

Former engineer Alan Searle, who lives next to the site at Seals Craig rocks, bought the land from the Crown for £10,000.

And he wants to build the studio on the foundations of an 18th century piggery which occupied the site until about 100 years ago.

But residents were surprised to learn about his purchase of the land. Alma Rough said: “The Seals Craig rocks have always been part of South Queensferry – you could just walk along and sit there, I used to take my children and have a picnic.

“It's all been done very quietly – no-one knew about the sale. If it had been known it was for sale I'm sure the community would have got some money together and kept it.”

She said the proposed building was ugly. “It looks like a gypsy caravan – it stands out like a sore thumb.”

And she fears the studio could turn into something else. “My concern is that after an 'acceptable' period of time, this will become another Airbnb or holiday home, with admittedly one of the most magnificent views in the world.”

Mr Searle, who hopes to use the new building to restore antique furniture, said he had bought and renovated two derelict cottages on the seafront about 10 years ago to form his current home.

But he said there was no land attached to them, so he tried to establish the ownership of the adjoining land and after much research made a case to the land registry that it should be attached to his house.

He was told there was not enough evidence to allow that, but he then applied to the Crown, which is responsible by default for land where there is no clear ownership. They said he had a strong case and could buy the land at a price set by an independent valuation.

He said the £10,000 price reflected the fact there was no access and no services.

Mr Searle rejected the idea he had taken over public land. "Although used by the public while the site lay derelict, I don’t believe the land I purchased was ever publicly owned.

"The local community had the same opportunity as me to purchase this neglected site, long before I turned up. It is only since the community council posted details of my planning application on Facebook that the wider community has shown any interest and challenged my fair purchase.”

But he stressed: "I'm not challenging rights of way and rights of access.”

And he insisted the purchase had not been underhand. "Everything I did was by the book."

He said he did not plan to turn it into a holiday home, but any future change of use would require planning permission.

And on the design, he said: "Unfortunately architecture is very subjective and what I might find attractive someone else will find a carbuncle on the planet, but it will be decided through planning process

"If you look along the shoreline in South Queensferry there's everything from breeze block 1970s construction to Georgian property,

"Some people were against me building my house, but since it's been built I've only had compliments."

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