Workers have been banned from taking vehicles on to a development site after residents raised concerns about safety…
Richmond Homes has had access to a site it is developing withdrawn by the City of Edinburgh Council amid safety fears.
The firm is building seven high-class townhouses in Colinton and was issued with the ban after residents raised concerns over large trucks manoeuvring down narrow streets. Developers were accused of failing to adhere to “an agreed action plan for safe entry to the site”, said a spokesperson for the council.
The situation came to a head after a tractor blocked the street for half an hour, trapping residents. Chairman of the West Mill Bank Proprietors’ Association Jack Wishart said: “West Mill Road is a dead end and nobody could get out for about 30 minutes, which is frankly almost criminal in its lack of consideration.
“There was a whole series of problems caused by heavy vehicles going up and down the road. There were some humongous trucks down there. There was always a potential blockage.”
Representative for Colinton Councillor Jason Rust said “a number of safety concerns” had been raised about the site.
“This particular area is used by pedestrians, children and cyclists entering and exiting Spylaw Park and the Water of Leith and particularly over the school holidays the problems have been a cause of real anxiety for local people,” he said.
Managing Director of Richmond Homes Calum Stewart, said one of their suppliers entered the road “without adhering to our written request to stop in the adjacent street”.
He said: “This is an intensive period of the construction involving significant ground works and the upgrading of old and unsafe culvert but [it] is coming to a conclusion shortly, after which traffic will reduce significantly.
“We always endeavour to work closely with our neighbours to ensure we have as little impact on them as possible during the development process and we would reiterate our gratitude at having been advised of this issue as we take the matter very seriously.
“We are working with the roads department to ensure all of their requirements are met so we can resume works shortly to theirs and the neighbours’ satisfaction.”