Angry Edinburgh local says council left 'overgrown grass and tar' at fancy estate

An angry Edinburgh resident claims work on a new tramline has left his neighbourhood a 'mess'.

David Cran says council chiefs left grass to overgrow and 'weird bits of tar' lying around, 12 months after work was completed at Waterfront Plaza in Leith.

The 50-year-old says millions of visitors to the nearby Royal Yacht Britannia are met with the 'terrible sight' - and that people are being put off buying in the area due to the mess.

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He believes the mess leaves a 'lasting impression of the city' for all the wrong reasons.

The Leith tramline was finally finished after four years of construction in 2023. David told Edinburgh Live the tram company were set to return to finish off the landscaping during the autumn months. However, they never returned and the area has stayed in the same condition for around a year.

He said: "Around Autumn time they said they were going to be back to fix the landscaping in the area and nothing ever happened so I was kind of constantly in touch with them.

"They then said they were going to do it in the spring around the planting season time and that never happened either. I just don't understand how it can take more than 12 months to cut some grass.

"And, you know, we've got this brand new development here and a whole load of new retailers who are trying to run their business and it just looks so terrible. People aren't coming to the view the flats because the area looks like a dump.

"Even where the temporary traffic lights were, there are weird bits of tar in the middle of the grass which have never been taken out either.

"Across the road, we've got Britannia and there is almost half a million tourists coming down here every year. How could this possibly be taking so long and why is nobody wanting or willing to deal with it? My contact with the council has just been so disappointing to be honest

He added he doesn't think the residents are asking for a lot and they just want their area to be tidy. He said: "It shouldn't take more than 12 months for this work to be carried out. All we want is for it to be tidied up.

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"The main problem I have is the communication that I have had with the council, it's been so poor. There has just been a lack of general interest and willingness to help".

Transport and Environment Convener, Councillor Scott Arthur, said: "The Trams to Newhaven project is playing a crucial role in delivering economic, social and environmental benefits to Leith. However, I appreciate how disruptive this project has been for both residents and businesses and I’d like to thank them for their patience over recent years.

"We’re waiting for the final landscaping plans and a programme of works from the contractor in line with the contract we have with them. Once we have this, officers will be engaging with local elected members on their implementation."