City leaders face struggle to find a new waste site

But the port is earmarked for the creation of some 18,000 new homes over the next 15 years too.

Dock operator Forth Ports, which also created the Malmaison Hotel and Ocean Terminal, has a 2 million blueprint for the area, with new schools, shops, bars and restaurants all envisaged.

Campaigners say it is ludicrous to suggest creating a new waste management facility at the heart of this regeneration effort. Several major housebuilding projects are already well under way within a stone's throw of the new proposed site.

Powderhall - which had to be closed temporarily four years ago after a major asbestos discovery - is seen as well past its sell-by date by senior council officials, and several major new housing developments have been built around the plant in recent years, adding to pressure to find an alternative solution.

Edinburgh, along with four other authorities, is looking at building one super plant to serve the area at a cost of around 140 million.

Another alternative, which is understood to still be under consideration, is the creation of a new waste transfer facility on the site of the former Ethicon factory in Sighthill.

Whatever road the council decides to go down, there are sure to be protests from angry residents, and officials will be under severe pressure from local councillors to keep them in the picture.

Elected members were left furious after being frozen out of the discussions on both proposals for the Leith area, with council leader Donald Anderson being left embarrassed twice at having to explain the lack of public consultation from the authority.