The following is a précis of letter that I sent to Enfield Council a couple of weeks ago. I have not received a reply to date. I wanted to share my concerns with others in the hope that they too will make their objections known to the council.

Just over a year ago we had a driveway laid. Before planning permission was granted we were told to retain as much garden as possible in preference to having a large block paved area.

No mention was made at that time that we should plan to accommodate three large unsightly wheelie bins. We had paving blocks laid to match those on the footway and bought some mature shrubs to enhance the garden remaining on either side of the parking area.

Also, we were required to enter into a legal agreement to ensure that the length of vehicle parked on the driveway would not exceed 3.8 metres in and told that the vehicle must be parked at right angles to, and not overhang, the pavement. We complied with all that was asked of us.

When the idea of wheelie bins was first mooted we were told that only end of terrace or semi-detached houses would be issued with bins, but now it seems the council has decided that it believes our terraced property has space for three wheeled bins. We beg to differ. When a car is parked on the drive there is most definitely not room for the three 140-litre wheelie bins. We question why the bins need to be so large?

Wheelie bins are not pleasing on the eye and turn a smart road into something resembling a slum neighbourhood. Most people take a pride in the appearance of their properties and this should be encouraged. How can the council possibly think these monstrosities will do anything to improve the appearance of terraced houses with small front gardens?

We totally agree with the principle of recycling and already dutifully recycle everything. However it’s totally unacceptable for people with small front gardens to have to consider removing expensive shrubs (or cars for that matter) in order to accommodate these unnecessarily large and, by anyone’s standard, extremely ugly bins.

There are many elderly and widowed people in our road who do not accumulate enough waste to warrant the use of these huge bins and it is not convenient for people to share, as you suggest, because the argument arises as to who houses the bins in their garden. No-one likes to see them. It will devalue property in the road as it has probably done in other previously smart roads in the borough.”

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