Land at the former farm off Turnhouse Road has been littered with paint cans, concrete slabs and tyres.

Land at the former farm off Turnhouse Road has been littered with paint cans, concrete slabs and tyres.

Vandals are then thought to have turned up and splashed the paint over the walls of a derelict cottage on the site.

Dogwalker Lesley Drysdale, 60, said: “Sadly Meadowfield Farm Edinburgh is slowly being destroyed by fly-tippers.

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Land at the former farm off Turnhouse Road has been littered with paint cans, concrete slabs and tyres.

“Unfortunately since the local refuse dump was closed, this is an everyday occurrence.”

“I have reported this a couple of times since January and nothing has been done, it is getting worse,” she added.

“I regularly walk my dog in this beautiful area. Bad enough the general building rubbish, but someone has dumped all the paint and the local vandals have taken it upon themselves to empty the tins everywhere – this has happened in the last week. It is absolutely shocking and hazardous to wildlife.”

And she added: “I’ve recently witnessed several youths climbing into the house on the main road and emptying furniture into the garden.

“Further along the road, the Meadowfield Cottages are being trashed as well. My son and I had to remove tyres off the main road.”

Planning permission was granted in 2011 to build eight new homes on the former farm and dairy.

Ms Drysdale added: “I know this area is going to be redeveloped, but this is totally unacceptable.”

Fly-tipping also undermines legitimate waste businesses, where illegal operators undercut those operating within the law.

In Scotland, the main legislation concerning flytipping is the Environmental Protection Act which prohibits the disposal of waste without the necessary permit issued by Sepa.

A spokesman from Sepa confirmed officers are aware of construction waste dumped at Meadowfield, with a clean-up scheduled for this week.

He added: “Fly-tipping is not only illegal, it’s a blight on communities and a risk to our environment.

“Sepa officers have contacted the landowner of the farm in relation to clearance of the waste and to look at what security measures might be put in place to deter future illegal dumping of waste at this site.

“Local communities can help us end criminal fly-tipping behaviours that blight our environment.”