Edinburgh residents left fuming at mess left by travellers at Granton site on Scottish Government land
Edinburgh residents are angry at the “apocalyptic landscape” left on Scottish Government land by a group of travellers that left the site earlier this summer.
Locals in Granton complained to the City of Edinburgh Council about the state of the land behind the United Wire factory at Granton Park Avenue, with piles of rubbish left scattered across the wasteland.
However, the council has no jurisdiction for this land, which is owned by the Scottish Government, who have revealed that the mess has not yet been cleared as the land is currently being sold to an unnamed party.
Local resident Sabina Gumbo told the Evening News that locals are fed-up that the land is still an eyesore, despite the travellers moving on a “few months ago”.
She said: “It was not an isolated incident. They have been coming and going at that site for the last three years.
“The last group left a few months ago, leaving behind an apocalyptic landscape. The area has not been cleaned since. The rubbish is frequently on fire, with the most recent fire occurring last weekend.
“Most of the residents in the area feel utterly hopeless about this situation. I reported the issue to the council twice through the online form. I did one last night, too. One of the neighbours contacted our local MP about the issue.
“The neglect of the site led to anti-social behaviour every week. The local fire station can confirm it. The manager from Lidl in Granton can add their list of issues with travellers.
“The sad side of this story is that once the rubbish is cleared, the travellers will come back.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said discussions were ongoing about the situation amid a sale of this land at Granton.
He said: “The Scottish Government has started the process of transferring ownership of this land. Discussions with the parties involved are ongoing as we try to find a suitable solution.”