News

Bins can be, well, a bit rubbish but they pose an increasing challenge for housebuilders when it comes to providing adequate refuse areas for new homes.

While the majority of councils have policies in place to ensure new homes being put forward have adequate space for household waste storage, many others don’t. The result is so-called ‘bin blight’ when bins and recycling storage are cluttering up front gardens, driveways and pavements in poorly-planned developments up and down the country.

Eric Pickles, Communities & Local Government Secretary, has today announced the introduction of guidelines for property developers to provide a discrete storage refuse or sufficient space in the back gardens of all new housing developments. It is believed Mr Pickles hopes that this will ultimately become law forcing some councils to make refuse storage a higher priority than they do at present.

Andy Roberts, director at LPC Living, the award-winning housebuilder which is owned by the Pervaiz Naviede Family Trust said “While it can be difficult ensuring all our homes have suitable bin and recycling facilities – particularly in high density and apartment developments – it’s one of the first things we consider when it comes to designing our homes.”

The number of bins provided by local authorities can vary wildly from three (standard refuse, materials for recycling and garden waste) to as many as ten bins, bags or boxes for their household waste. The proposals will not apply to older homes.