Forget Bosnia... now the UN's in the New Town

IT has brought peace to some of the world’s most troubled hotspots.

But now the United Nations is being sent into Edinburgh’s New Town to settle another conflict - over giant wheelie bins.

The organisation, which has carried out peacekeeping missions in Bosnia, Somalia and Kosovo, has been dragged into the fight over the council’s move to install the black containers outside some of the city’s most exclusive addresses.

Unesco - the United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - has written to protesters to tell them the installation of the bins will be examined in the summer.

Council workers came face-to-face with protesters earlier this week when they installed the 6ft wheelie bins in Regent Terrace.

The containers have been met with widespread anger from residents, condemnation by two High Court judges and even been brought to the attention of a concerned Prince Charles.

Unesco officials today confirmed they had demanded answers from the agency’s UK delegation over the bins.

A UN spokesman said: "We have asked them to look into the situation and either explain it or take action to address the concerns raised. They will have to carry out their own investigation and report back to us."

He added: "People’s emotions run very high when it comes to World Heritage Sites."

In a letter to protesters, Francesco Baudarin, director of Unesco’s World Heritage Centre, said the bins would be examined by the body’s World Heritage Committee this summer.

Unesco granted both the Old and New Town World Heritage status in 1995. But they also have the power to withdraw the prestigious award.

The World Heritage Site covers about four-and-a-half kilometres and includes the Royal Mile, Heriot Row, Northumberland Street, Great King Street, St Mary’s Street and Regent Terrace. In February, eight separate residents’ groups wrote to the Paris-based organisation in a bid to help them block the council’s 16-week trial of the bins in the New Town.

Susie Lynn, secretary of the Regent, Royal and Carlton Terraces Association, said she was delighted that Unesco is to investigate.

"I think this is extremely significant news that they are bringing this on the agenda," she said.

"They are obviously taking it very seriously - I wish the council would. We have been telling them for months the bins are a threat to the World Heritage Site and perhaps this will make the council wake up.

"I hope Unesco can help guide the council who have been deaf to our pleas. Having a World Heritage Site brings a lot of income to the city and if damage is done to that, people won’t come and they won’t spend money in the city."

The trial of the bins was launched on Tuesday and is costing taxpayers £175,000. Among the streets affected are Carlton Terrace, Heriot Row and Fettes Row.

Ian Hall, chairman of the Great King Street Association, said: "I am pleased they have acknowledged our letter but whether anything will come of it remains to be seen. I understand the council has also been in touch with Unesco and I hope the letter will trigger them into seeing sense.

"I am quietly confident this will eventually be thrown out as most people here are still opposed to it."

City leaders have been condemned for spending large amounts of public money on the trial in the face of massive opposition.

Lengthy consultation with residents, the staging of public exhibitions and a series of surveys have been blamed for the high cost. But critics claim the cash would have been better spent providing tougher black bin bags and more frequent collections.

New Town councillor David Guest said: "People have been saying to the council for months that this whole proposal may well prejudice the World Heritage Site.

"We don’t know what Unesco’s official response is going to be - it is almost uncharted territory - but I think one World Heritage Site has been lost."

A spokeswoman for Edinburgh City Council said: "The 16-week containerisation trial in certain areas of the World Heritage Site will be closely evaluated, including independent monitoring by Queen Margaret University.

"At the end of the trial, the containers will be removed and the affected streets will revert to their former collection method and the council will analyse comments and survey results.

"If there are recommendations or comments from the World Heritage Committee, we will of course take them into account."