A mum has repainted the pink front door to her home after being threatened with a £20,000 fine. Miranda Dickson, 48, had the front door of her Georgian home in Edinburgh professionally painted with Dulux paint last year as part of a renovation.
But, after an anonymous complaint, planners at the City of Edinburgh Council objected to the colour as it was not 'in keeping with the historic character' of the listed building in the New Town area, and insisted it was repainted white. She had to apply for planning permission to change the colour to green, and said the repainting had cost her almost £500.
Miranda faced a £2,000 fine if she did not remove the 'unauthorised' paint, and could have been hit with a £20,000 fine if she was charged with an offence of breaching rules in the conservation area.
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. They are incredible spaces and 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.
"And I saw a pink door on Eastenders last night, so it really isn't that weird."
Subscribe here for the latest news where you live
Miranda inherited her parents' home in 2019 and started an 18-month revamp of the three-storey Georgian house during the Covid lockdown. She painted the door pink in December 2021, but was made aware of the complaint nine months later.
An appeal was turned down, and she was given until 20 April to change the colour of the door.
"When I started my vision about the house, I had my mood boards and for me the pink door was the wrapping to that creative vision," she continued.
"The pink door was the external vision to what my internal house is.
"So to be forced to change it has left me feeling saddened and disappointed.
"I'm upset by all the energy and opinion it has caused and I now feel I am closing a chapter and putting it to bed, although I don't feel peaceful about it."
