Bin Store Eye Sore

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 17th Jan 2006

Whalley Range Liberal Democrat John Grant has asked the Council's planning department why new blocks of apartments in Manchester come with an unsightly bin store at the front.

One of the concerns local residents have raised about new building developments relates to bin stores. In front of what appears to be the building line, brick-built structures like mini houses are erected as bin stores. The first example highlighted was in Whalley Road but subsequently similar concerns were raised about the redevelopment of Stanley House on Stanley Road. The planning department acknowledged the concern but explained that the multi-resident shared bins were too large to be moved by local residents when full, and that the waste disposal team had to collect waste from the front of properties.

Local Lib Dem councillor and member of the council's Planning Committee John Grant, said:

"I was shocked when I saw what was being built on Whalley Road and took up the issue with the planning department. At the moment there is a problem collecting rubbish if the bin store is sited at the back because the waste lorries should not have to reverse into property. The planning department understand that local people do not feel these bin stores enhance the appearance of our area, but have yet to find a satisfactory alternative."

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