Edinburgh sinkhole remains on popular pathway three months after it appeared as land owner remains a mystery
A sinkhole remains on a popular Edinburgh pathway three months after it appeared, with the council unable to say who owns the land.
The sinkhole on the pathway between Longstone and Stenhouse, at the back of HMP Edinburgh and next to the Water of Leith, first appeared at the end of May after a spell of heavy rain.
The council says it can’t carry out repairs there as the land is privately owned, adding that it can only keep the area safe. Barriers were erected and a diversion put in place by the council in June.
Angry local residents are demanding that action is taken to restore the pathway, which was only re-opened to the public in January after it was closed for four and a half years due to safety issues with a bridge over a burn situated off the Water of Leith.
One resident who asked not to be named told the Evening News that the sinkhole is “an accident waiting to happen”.
He said: “That pathway is well used and the local community was delighted when it re-opened at the start of this year. Although there is a diversion in place, I’m worried that someone misses the signs and goes into the sinkhole, particularly at night.
“The barriers surrounding the sinkhole and on the path 20 or so yards away on either side have been blown down, so someone speeding along on their bike could fall in.
“I actually nearly fell into the sinkhole while trying to put the barriers back up! So, the quicker this is sorted the better, as it’s an accident waiting to happen.”
A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: “The land is privately owned and therefore it is for the private owner to make suitable repairs. In the meantime, in the interests of public safety, the council made the area safe by securing it with fencing in June.”
The local authority was unable to say who owns the land when asked.