Located just off of one of the most well-used high streets in the capital is a plot of land piled high with waste and dubbed the worst fly tipping area in Edinburgh.
A vacant privately owned site that lies just off Niddrie Mains Road, across the street from Food Plus Grocery, has been used as a dumping ground by illegal fly tippers causing what locals fear is a health and safety nightmare.
The scene of the vacant space is filled with entire dumped kitchens, the charred remains of wooden furniture and smashed tiles from bathroom revamps.
READ MORE: Edinburgh Christmas Market opening delayed as huge queue forms in Princes Street
Resembling some post-apocalyptic nightmare, the reality is that the site in the heart of the Craigmillar community - in a location that all residents of the area will pass when visiting their local shops, takeaways or hairdressers.
The wasteland is shielded by a black wooden fence with a small opening located in the bottom left hand corner for people to be able to access it.
When you first step inside, you are greeted by two large fridge freezers, several burnt chest of drawers as well as mountains of debris.
Takeaway boxes and the largest pile of empty Tennent’s Super cans you have ever seen can be found within the space, suggesting that the area has become popular with locals who spend their evenings setting fire to the dumped items.
On the environment in the heart of the community, one person who witnessed the site said: “It is heartbreaking to see this sort of careless behaviour become so rampant right off of the high street in Craigmillar.
“People have come here and obviously thought it would be a great place to dump their old kitchens or bathrooms.
“You have to question whether you would see this sort of thing in a more affluent community but it seems acceptable for it to happen in Craigmillar which is just not right.
“It is a health and safety nightmare as you can see that people are going in there to drink and set fire to items that have just been tossed aside.”
Councillor Scott Arthur the environment convener, said that the dumping on the site was not acceptable by individuals or commercial operations.
He added that their illegal actions would cost the landowner a significant amount of money in order to be able to clear the site.
He added: “It’s illegal and not acceptable for commercial companies and individuals to dump their waste onto private land in this way.
“This illegal action has meant that the owner of this land is now faced with significant financial costs to clear away the waste.
“We are working to identify the landowner so this mess can be cleared up as soon as possible.
“We’re also looking to take any enforcement action against the fly-tipper(s) that will help the landowner recover some of these costs if at all possible.
“If you have larger items you want to dispose of safely please make an appointment at one of our Household Waste Recycling Centres or if that isn’t possible you can use our special uplift service.”
READ NEXT:
Edinburgh NHS strikes cancelled as members balloted on "final" pay offer
East Lothian town named as the top staycation site to visit in Scotland
Edinburgh locals in awe as dancers take over St James Quarter with huge ceilidh
Edinburgh police pull over car and discover driver is an international fugitive
Edinburgh restaurants become first in UK to serve Sam Heughan's whisky
