Community leaders have taken a tongue-in-cheek pop at dodgy bin placement in the city centre.
Newtown and Broughton community council posted on Twitter what can only be assumed to be a satirical comment from a local resident.
In the post, the supposed resident does their best impression of Grand Designs host Kevin McCloud, as they methodically break down the picture they see before them.
The post reads: “A local resident reflects on the new Elder Street ‘bin hub’ at the entrance to the SJQ.
“Note the aesthetic qualities of the containers themselves, their proportions reflecting the classical lines of the surrounding architecture, bravely unscreened so as to make a statement the black plastic surfaces acting as a lively foil to the natural stone materials of the old and new buildings and paving; the subtle curve of the line of bins referencing the crescents of the New Town, the location obstructing the pavement in a humorous acknowledgement to the Spaces for People initiative, and the playful way in which the second landfill bin has detached itself from the alignment in a ‘look at me’ gesture.
“Pure architectural bliss, carefully thought through and ideal for a world heritage area.”
Although the post is intended to be comical, it raises some serious issues, from the endangerment of pedestrians that has been caused by the placement of the bins next to a pedestrian crossing; to the aesthetics of the bins damaging the world heritage status of Edinburgh’s New Town; not to mention the gentle nod to the controversial Spaces for People project being rolled out across the capital that is supposed to keep people safe.
In response to the post, councillor Karen Doran, the vice-environment convener, said: “We’re currently engaging with the Community Councils in the New Town on proposed changes to make recycling easier and more accessible in the area.
“The proposal is also to move the bins off the pavement wherever possible and we’re consulting with Edinburgh World Heritage on the size, colour and location of the bins and how we secure them so they can’t be moved out of place.”
