Driveways blocked for Ashington residents as Northumberland County Council starts installing controversial communal bins

Northumberland County Council plans were approved in January to put fenced enclosures containing large waste and recycling bins on the back roads between Hawthorn Road houses and the neighbouring streets, Chestnut Street and Rosalind Street.

This was despite planning objections from residents who feared the bins would be inaccessible for the elderly and lead to overflowing litter, a bad smell, increased vermin, and increased fly tipping.

Concerns have also been raised that the enclosures will attract antisocial behaviour and are an eyesore, as well as taking up parking and manoeuvring space on the street, with some residents finding their driveways blocked now work on the project has begun.

One such resident, 49-year-old Andrew Hill, said: “It does not matter what efforts are made to try and cooperate with the local council and come up with ideas.

“You are left with a bitter taste in your mouth because it leaves you feeling like no one really cares.

“Nobody cares about us. Nobody really has any interest in how it affects us.

“We do not want to live in an area where we have big waste bins at the back of our house.”

Andrew’s dad, who has a disability that means he struggles to walk, will now find it difficult to visit his son, as Andrew cannot bring the car right up to the door to allow him easy access to the house.

The road at the front of the house is busy and has double yellow lines, so it is not suitable for parking.

In its official response to the planning application for the proposal, the council’s highways development management team said: “The proposed bin storage areas are located within land owned by Northumberland County Council which is also not part of a residents parking permit scheme.

“The location for the compounds in this area is on top of a kerbed 'island'. There is no dropped kerb access to this area, as such that it was not intended as a suitable location for parking.

“The proposals do not have an adverse impact on highway safety, nor do they negatively impact on the operation of the highway at these locations.”

Andrew said: “The council is just ploughing along because the [highways team] said it is fine. It might be fine to them but it causes an obstruction to me.”

Despite the fact the bins will be located next to their properties, Hawthorn Road residents have been told they will keep their individual bins, and that the larger bins are for the use of the neighbouring streets.

Having seen the impact of a similar communal bin system installed on Maple Street, they are concerned about the amount of other people’s rubbish that will be sitting outside their homes.

Andrew said: “There were five weeks where the bins were not emptied. There were car engines, tins of paint, nappies, food waste, bins open.

“There were TVs. There was furniture. That is now going to be outside my house. We are not even allowed to use them.”

Residents feel there has been a lack of communication from the council and that their concerns have not been taken on board.

Andrew said: “I have sent in many letters, many, photos, many emails, and it seems to be we are just getting ignored, and now they have actually started pulling up the back roads and putting metal fences around them.”

Residents contacted Wansbeck MP Ian Lavery, who has since visited the street to meet residents in person.

He said: “I went down to Ashington to speak to residents and see for myself the effect that these proposed bin corrals will have on parking on the street.

“It is clear that putting the bin corrals in the middle of the street will have a severe impact on the already limited parking and residents are justifiably angry that this has been decided with what appears to be, at best, an extremely limited public consultation.

“It is important that residents have their voices heard and I am working with the council so we can try and develop a plan that will work for everyone.”

The planning decision on the proposal was made by a council planning officer after councillors agreed to delegate the decision.

Councillors typically make planning decisions when the local authority is the applicant, but new powers introduced during the pandemic now allow them to delegate the decision, despite 17 formal objections to the plans.

The planning officer’s report said: “[The compounds’] addition allows for cleaner and more efficient working of the streets with the necessary amount of parking to remain for the residents.

Cllr Colin Horncastle, cabinet member for the environment, said: “The council is investing in this project to improve the waste storage and collection arrangements for the properties in the Hirst area of Ashington.

“The bin compounds will enable residents in these areas to access large communal bins, which will improve the storage of waste and recycling material which is currently left out on the street for collection in sacks.

"This will improve local environmental quality by providing greater opportunities for recycling, and by improving the overall cleanliness of the area.

“The scheme does impact on a small number of parking spaces but does not prevent access to any other areas. Officers will contact the individual residents who have expressed further concerns and offer to have a site visit to discuss the matter with them.”