Edinburgh woman in battle with council over pink door finally wins approval for ‘off-white’ colour

The pink door attracted complaints before being repainted green but this was also rejected.

A woman who faced a £20,000 fine for painting her New Town front door bright pink has finally won the battle to keep it an ‘off-white’ shade of pink.

Miranda Dickson hit headlines around the world when she was ordered by city planners to change the colour of her Drummond Place home last year, after the council ruled it to be out of character with the Capital’s World Heritage Site.

At the time the 49-year-old objected and said she had received “overwhelming support” from people saying the door was “amazing".

Miranda Dickson won permission to keep the door 'off white' shade of pink

She painted her front door green and applied for the necessary planning permission but it was denied. That colour also sparked further complaints. Now after a long battle she has won permission to keep it a paler shade of pink.

The City of Edinburgh Council gave permission in a letter stating: "The proposals have special regard to the desirability of preserving the building and its setting and will not adversely impact on its special architectural and historic interest. The proposals will preserve the character and appearance of the conservation area."

Ms Dickson inherited the three-storey Georgian house from her parents four years ago and has carried out major redecoration inside. The last part of the project was painting the front door champagne pink in December 2021. It prompted an enforcement order last year from the council and the threat of a fine of up to £20,000.

After spending months renovating her childhood home, she was shocked to be ordered to change the colour scheme after noticing other brightly coloured doors in Edinburgh's New Town.

The mum-of-two said she had never been allowed to wear pink as a child but then began using the colour to express herself. The house also features a pink hall and stair carpet.

She told the BBC: "I don't understand why it has caused them to be so angry, I can't understand that emotion about the colour of a door. These homes were built as entertainment spaces. I have leaned into the bones of the rooms to maximise their beauty.

"I have restored all the windows and kept the cornices and mouldings as well as the shutters. I have been much more sympathetic than more modern refits.”