RESIDENTS in Edinburgh say the parking spaces outside their homes are being taken by the council even though they own the land.
Locals in Springfield, off Balfour Street in the Scottish capital, were left fuming when they were told part of the road outside their properties were being adopted by the council.
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Even though the title deeds to each house show each one came with a private parking space when it was purchased, the council said the small car park would be painted with permit line and the six homeowners would have to buy a permit to park outside.
According to the council, the developer Taylor Wimpey instructed them to adopt the road – though the developer disputed those claims and remains in contact with the council’s legal team as the locals have now been left in the dark for months.
Previously, Maureen and Jimmy Stewart, along with Ian Dick, expressed their fury over the situation and say they will not give up their spaces to the council to make them permit holders only – having put up their own metal bollards between spaces.
Jimmy now says he and his wife have met with Cammy Day, the leader of Edinburgh Council, who says the council do not have the authority to take over their land, although no breakthrough has been made and the work remains outstanding.
Jimmy, 72, told Edinburgh Live: “We went to see Cammy Day again and he promised us it would never happen.
“He contacted someone who was meant to get in touch with us but we never heard anything again. We saw James Dalgleish who is chasing it up and Jack Caldwell is also helping but they’re trying to contact the relevant people who we never hear from.
“I was outside a while ago and a council van pulled in and told me there had been an anonymous complaint about what we’re doing – I showed him the deeds and he said we’re ok and went away.
“Taylor Wimpey have been really positive when I have contacted them and they keep saying they don’t know why Edinburgh Council has decided to change the ownership arrangements and they’re taking it up with their own lawyers.
“We’re in the dark but we’re all convinced we’re in the right because of the legal documents.
“It’s absolutely ridiculous. This started before Covid and we’re no further forward. If they were to come down now I would just go out and say you’re not doing it and they would go away.
“The whole thing is a farce as far as I’m concerned and the council have shown their true colours.”
Maureen, 73, previously told the news outlet: “They are private spaces and it’s just those six our of the whole estate that are going as the council has adopted the road. We have been told by so many people that they can’t do it, even one of the surveyors who worked on the initial development.
“The whole thing is actually quite upsetting to be honest as we have spent so much time reaching out to different people.
“We recently paid to have metal poles put up at each of our spaces after we were told they would still be ours, others have done the same in the estate.
“One of our neighbours is a teacher and only just moved in, she will probably move on if she has her space taken away as she relies on her car for work.
“We bought the parking space with the house, which is obviously a selling point. You can’t just turn around 39 years later and take it away.”
One of the other homeowners, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: “The title deeds are the most important document to go by. There is a demarcation line outside which means it can’t be adopted so I have no idea how this has happened.
“They are not going to earn money from these spaces – they belong to us.
“I have communicated with people at Taylor Wimpey and the Land Registry who have said it is our property. I don’t think the council could take our bollards down, they would have to ask us to do it.
“We would obviously say no and they would have to serve us with a notice then we would still say no and they would probably try and take us to court.
“The tenants who live in my flat may move elsewhere if they do not get their own parking space.”
Edinburgh Council leader Cammy Day told the Scottish news site: “I’ve met with the residents affected a number of times as has my local councillor James Dalgleish and I understand there are now legal discussions about this.
“I am fully behind the residents and families at Springfield who, in their title deeds, clearly states that they own the piece of land outside their homes which has been suggested to become a controlled parking zone.
“It is disappointing it has taken so long to resolve this and I have asked senior officers to meet with the residents and the local councillor to resolve it as we now have the developer Taylor Wimpey saying they have no issues with it, the owners saying they have documents which clearly show this is their property and I’m not quite sure how it got to this position.
“I am fully supportive of the five or six families and hope the council can come to a speedy resolution. I think the lines have been drawn the wrong way and there has been a mix up there. The title deeds are a legal paper and I don’t think it the council can overrule the registers of Scotland.
“I have spoken to officers and made it clear this has been a lengthy legal debate which could have ended much earlier by saying that land is registered to them. I’m also aware the council gully team has not cleaned that little car park and won’t paint lines on it but are willing to tax it – it just seems crazy.”
Councillor Scott Arthur, Transport and Environment Convener, said: “Our legal team are speaking with Taylor Wimpey’s solicitors and therefore it would not be appropriate to comment any further at this stage.”
The Sun Online has also contacted the council for comment.
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