Residents in Granton are frustrated as fly tipping continues to plague their community, leaving them feeling hopeless and overwhelmed.
Edinburgh: Residents in Granton are really feeling the impact of fly tipping. It’s become a constant issue that’s ruining their community vibe.
Keir Liddle, 43, and his partner Amanda Gilmour moved into their flat on Wardieburn Street East during the pandemic. They thought the rubbish they saw was just temporary, but it’s only gotten worse.
Over the last three years, they’ve watched their neighborhood fill up with all sorts of dumped trash—think used nappies, condoms, and even furniture just lying around.
The back green area, which should be a nice spot for everyone, has turned into a dumping ground. It’s so bad that it’s attracting foxes and other pests, making it almost unusable for families.
Keir has had to pick up all sorts of disgusting stuff during clean-ups. He says the council has come out a few times to help, but it feels like they only respond after residents beg for action.
He believes everyone—homeowners, tenants, and the council—needs to work together to stop this from happening in the first place.
When they first viewed the property, they were told the mess was just for a local bonfire. But now, it’s a whole different story. Keir has tried reporting the fly tipping online, but the system can be a real pain to navigate.
He and other residents are pushing for some real preventative measures. Sure, the council cleans up eventually, but it’s like a never-ending cycle. Just weeks after a clean-up, the area looks just as bad.
Sometimes, when they complain, they hear excuses about budget cuts or that it’s the residents causing the mess. Keir even suggested putting up CCTV to catch the culprits, but that idea didn’t go anywhere.
The council has tried to raise awareness with posters and letters, but it hasn’t made a difference. Keir has had to deal with some pretty gross stuff, like used nappies and condoms that have blown out of bins.
He’s feeling pretty defeated. Not only is the rubbish a problem, but the council has also let weeds grow through the new tarmac in the back green. He thinks if the area looked nicer, people might think twice before dumping their trash.
While the council is busy with big regeneration projects in other parts of Granton, Keir feels like their area is being ignored. It’s disheartening to pay a mortgage and see the problem just getting worse.
There are still a few people who keep dumping their stuff in the communal space. Keir thinks it’s awful and that it’s just a small group of folks who don’t care.
He’s never actually seen anyone fly tipping, but he’s convinced it’s a few bad apples ruining it for everyone else. Both Keir and Amanda love their neighbors and the community, but they want action to make their area better.
One part of the back green is overgrown and filled with junk. They’re even willing to help maintain the space or pitch in for preventative measures.
Amanda is frustrated too. She thinks it’s disappointing that some neighbors don’t care about keeping the area nice. While she appreciates the council’s efforts to upgrade the back green, it’s disheartening to see it treated so poorly.
Edinburgh Council does have guidelines for dealing with fly tipping. They say they’ll investigate and clean up on public land, but if it’s on private property, the owner has to deal with it.
They can issue fines for fly tipping, but it seems like the problem just keeps coming back. The council has been contacted about this ongoing issue.
