Planners should try listening to the voices of residents - Sue Webber

There is local anger over the planned 'bin hub'

Colinton Dell and the historic parish church at the heart of the old village, with its Robert Louis Stevenson connections marked by the lovely statue of the great author as a boy, are hidden gems tucked away from the mass tourism of the city centre.

And it’s also fair to say it takes a lot to move its law-abiding residents to take direct action to challenge authority.

As readers might now be aware, a group of locals blocked City of Edinburgh council workers from installing one of those unsightly new recycling bin hubs in one of the most scenic spots, by occupying the intended site on their deck chairs complete with placards protesting that the council would “ruin our stunning village forever”.

They are not wrong. In most other cities, a treasured corner of historic importance would be treated with care, but council officers think it is appropriate to move the bins from their current, unobtrusive position tucked away a few yards up the street.

It’s hard to fathom until you understand the decision is not based on consideration of sensitive or historic locations, or of the impact on individual residents, but on a formula which prioritises things like whether anyone has to cross the road, or if there is a kerb a wheelchair user might have to negotiate. And above all, how easy it is for crews to empty.

It’s all predicated on theoretical worst-case scenarios, not on understanding local needs or concerns because such consultations as are conducted − and in Colinton’s case the residents claim there was none – puts weight on convenience for council workers, not most residents.

The council claims no other suitable alternatives could be found, but the locals did. And as happened elsewhere in the city, their suggestion was rejected, apparently because the pavement wasn’t right.

The option of fixing the pavement seems not to have occurred to officials and I’ll bet that’s because they’re bins staff and that’s a roads department responsibility.

With the typically brusque attitude expected of petty bureaucrats, a council spokesperson said the location met “approved criteria”, in other words a one-size-fits-all approach which fails to take unique circumstances into consideration.

Ironically it all comes under the umbrella Place Directorate, which is supposed to ensure joined-up thinking and create better places to live, yet here it is making a beautiful place worse.

Lessons should have been learnt from the ham-fisted and insensitive way the bin hubs were introduced in the New Town, but if Edinburgh Council can mess up a World Heritage site, Colinton should come as no surprise.

“The works will be going ahead to ensure residents can have easy and safe access to improved recycling facilities,” said the spokesperson. Well, the doughty citizens of Colinton might have other ideas.

Maybe they should write to their new MP Scott Arthur, who should know a thing or two about their case. But as he was the council’s Transport and Environment convener with responsibility for this fiasco until last week, it might be a waste of time.

Sue Webber is a Scottish Conservative Lothians MSP