Woman loses battle with council and must paint pink door a 'dark and muted colour'

A woman who had been fighting to keep her front door bright pink has lost her battle with the local council and is being forced to paint it a 'dark and muted colour'.

Miranda Dickson, 48, has been renovating the house she inherited from her parents in Edinburgh's New Town, and got the front door painted pink in the process.

Now, the mum is being threatened with a fine of up to £20,000 if she doesn't agree to paint over the door, after losing her appeal.

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Miranda was shocked when the City of Edinburgh Council complained that her front door was 'not in keeping with the historic character' of the building.

Speaking about her renovated door at the time, Miranda had said: "Coming home and seeing my front door gives me joy, I'm proud of it.

"It's my house, I own it.

"Georgians loved pink - in that era all the windows were painted grey or black, and people had different coloured front doors.

"I've had overwhelming support from people saying 'it's amazing', and 'it makes me smile'."

When the mum tried to appeal the ban on her colourful door, her argument landed on deaf ears.

"I was not initially aware permission was required to paint my own front door," she told the Daily Mail.

"My neighbours both painted their doors recently and did not have to ask permission so this was something I was unaware of as it is not a permanent alteration to the property and guidelines on painting appear to be only for painting the building."

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Miranda also argued that other brightly painted doors could be seen in her neighbourhood.

However, she has since been sent a reply from the council to reinforce their ban on her pink door.

She now has until spring to get the door painted in white gloss, and has been told to apply for permission if she'd like to choose a different colour.

If she can't have her door pink, Miranda had suggested she planned to make it dark crimson rather than just plain white.

"In a world where we are supposed to be open minded and after all the stuff we've been through the past two years, I thought people would be more community minded," said Miranda.

"They are saying they haven't received any complaints about other brightly coloured doors in New Town and saying it should be an 'appropriate' colour.

"Appropriate to whom?

"Do we feel as a society that what was appropriate 30 years ago is appropriate to now?"

A City of Edinburgh Council spokesperson said: “The colour of the door is not in keeping with the historic character and appearance of this listed building in the New Town, part of our World Heritage Site.

"The owner agreed the door would be repainted but as this work has not been carried out we are taking enforcement action requiring them to repaint the door.”