Edinburgh beauty spot blighted with fly-tipping

Fly-tippers have ruined a popular Edinburgh beauty spot by dumping mounds of rubbish following the closure of a local dump.

Land at the former farm off Turnhouse Road has been littered with paint cans, concrete slabs and tyres.

Vandals have also splashed paint over the walls of a derelict cottage.

Dogwalker Lesley Drysdale, 60, said: “Sadly Meadowfield Farm Edinburgh is slowly being destroyed by fly-tippers. Unfortunately since the local refuse dump was closed, this is an everyday occurrence.”

“I regularly walk my dog in this beautiful area.

“Bad enough the general building rubbish, but some - one has dumped all the paint and the local vandals have taken it upon themselves to empty the tins everywhere –this has happened in the last week. It is absolutely shocking and hazardous to wildlife.”

Planning permission was granted in 2011 to build eight homes on the former farm and dairy.

A Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) spokesman confirmed officers are aware of construction waste dumped at Meadowfield, with a clean-up scheduled for this week. He added: “Fly-tipping is not only illegal, it’s a blight on communities and a risk to our environment.”