700 giant bins coming to central Brighton and Hove

12:50pm Wednesday 30th January 2013 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter

Communal recycling bins were trialed in the Brunswick and Adelaide area Communal recycling bins were trialed in the Brunswick and Adelaide area

Seven hundred giant recycling bins are coming to a city centre.

As part of a drive to turn the city centre green, Brighton and Hove City Council wants to roll out the large containers to more than 30,000 homes.

Town hall bosses claim replacing the current kerbside collection will make recycling easier for those living in densely populated areas.

However, critics have raised concern it will lead to the loss of more than 270 parking spaces.

However, the council believes the scheme will save it more than £500,000 over six years, despite a drop in parking income as a result of the lost spaces.

The scheme, which will affect the area from Sackville Road in Hove to Sussex Square in Kemp Town, could begin as early as September.

Parts of Seven Dials and Queen’s Park will be included but Hanover will be excluded.

If approved, locals will have to empty paper, card, cans and plastic bottles into large containers in their street.

The recycling units will be smaller than the large refuse bins and placed near them, where possible.

Increased recycling

It comes after a trial of 3,200 homes in the Brunswick and Adelaide areas last year saw the amount recycled increase by 70% - from 12.5% to 21%.

Councillor Pete West, chairman of the council’s environment and sustainability committee, said: “Results of the pilot scheme show that communal recycling works well in densely populated areas of the city and residents have told us that communal bins make it easier for them to recycle and helps keep the streets cleaner.”

Conservative councillor Geoffrey Theobald said he was fully supportive of the scheme.

He added: “However, we are extremely concerned about potentially losing so many car parking spaces in areas of the city where there is already high demand and where there are waiting lists for permits.

“I will be urging the Green administration to look at this again to see if more parking can be retained.”

Streets inside the red line are included in the scheme

Streets inside the red line are included in the scheme

If plans are approved at a town hall meeting next week, a mass consultation of the affected area will begin.

A report will then be brought back to the cross-party environment committee in the early summer.

Labour councillor Gill Mitchell said: “We fully support residents being consulted. We have concerns about the impact a lot more bins will have on the streets and obviously the loss of parking spaces.

“It’s for residents to make up their own minds in response to the consultation.”

If introduced, the scheme will be paid for with £840,000 from the Department for Communities and Local Government.

This will fund three vehicles and 700 bins, while 12 new recycling points could be established along the seafront.

The council also plans to introduce incentive schemes to encourage residents to recycle more.

Talking point: How will these new bins encourage you to recycle more? What can be done to encourage recycling? Share your views by commenting below or write in to The Argus letters pages by email letters@theargus.co.uk.

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Comments(53)

Dealing with idiots says...
1:11pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Interesting choice of photo for this article. These bins are on the north side of Western Rd Hove and were placed outside a restaurant with no consultation of the businesses in the area. The restaurant, currently empty, has a licence for tables and chairs out side but who in their right mind would want to sit outside a restaurant or bar when the only view available is of a set of bins. Thanks Jace. Unfortunately another example of our green overlords riding rough shod over the local population with scant regard for those trying to earn a living. Only 2.5 years before they are removed from power. Bring it on.

Report this post »

Bob_The_Ferret says...
1:11pm Wed 30 Jan 13

The use of communal bins is all very well, but as we get more and more of them, the impact they have becomes significant. Apart from being large and unsightly, and causing a potential nuisance if sited right outside your front door, they can dangerously obstruct views when unthoughtfully placed near junctions, and of course there is the loss of parking places in our overcrowded streets.

The council should seriously look at the continental system of housing the bins under the street with small, unobtrusive chutes for depositing refuse, particularly in the more sensitive areas of the city.

Report this post »

Reporter1 says...
1:17pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Just fill them with councillors and consultants. That should save huge amounts of money.

Report this post »

5ghayter says...
1:20pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Thanks for the really clear map diagram... might as well have not included that picture at all!

Report this post »

Don Pedro says...
1:33pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Pete West: “Results of the pilot scheme show that communal recycling works well in densely populated areas of the city and residents have told us that communal bins make it easier for them to recycle and helps keep the streets cleaner.”

I think we all know that this Council warps the questions in their so called surveys so they can abstract phrases like this to make people think they are approved of – that is why they employ consultants to operate the survey!

“If plans are approved at a town hall meeting next week, a mass consultation of the affected area will begin.”

You can take it as a foregone conclusion then, that the council will get their way, regardless of what anyone thinks. That’s what is referred to as ‘local democracy.’

Report this post »

Crystal Ball says...
1:46pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Will every household and business get its own, huge four-wheeled bin/skip?

Report this post »

spa301 says...
1:52pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Dealing with idiots wrote:
Interesting choice of photo for this article. These bins are on the north side of Western Rd Hove and were placed outside a restaurant with no consultation of the businesses in the area. The restaurant, currently empty, has a licence for tables and chairs out side but who in their right mind would want to sit outside a restaurant or bar when the only view available is of a set of bins. Thanks Jace. Unfortunately another example of our green overlords riding rough shod over the local population with scant regard for those trying to earn a living. Only 2.5 years before they are removed from power. Bring it on.
Is it really another 2.5 years!! God help us.

Report this post »

lordenglandofsussex says...
2:08pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Reporter1 wrote:
Just fill them with councillors and consultants. That should save huge amounts of money.
Nice one! :)

Report this post »

jyan says...
2:09pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Rubbish scheme from rubbish administration. Who on earth would chose to have this horrible bins outside their premises? Can't we vote these council idiots out early?

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SeasideDave says...
2:16pm Wed 30 Jan 13

This is a great idea. As somebody who lives in Brunswick - the bins have made a significant improvement. No more untidy black boxes on doorsteps or in the streets - no more bin bags littering the place. The only think I wish we could sort out now is the uncaring, lazy, people who insist on fly-tipping next to the bins.

As for putting them outside restaurants - I am not aware of any. The glass recycling bins have been placed outside business premises, such as William Hill on Western Road so they aren't so disruptive in terms of noise - which would get complained about if they were outside residential premises. If the 'restaurant' mentioned does actually come back into operation then I am sure the bins would be resited.

I would much rather have these bins that the mess we previously lived with. Much better and congratulations to whoever came up with the solution.

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Nitrous_McBread says...
2:29pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Great scheme. Great for saving money and time on laborious house-to-house collections which clog up tiny streets with huge refuse lorries.

Great as hubs for the exchange of unwanted items such as broken-down furniture which is often left at the bins and reclaimed by others who then fix it up.

Great for people who are tired of putting black bags outside their houses only to see seagulls scatter the lot all over the road two minutes later before flying off with one of their used tampons.

Report this post »

John Fallon says...
2:57pm Wed 30 Jan 13

I've no objection to recycling bins but why so big? On the Continent, they've lots of recycling bins but they are half the size and emptied every day. And why do they have to be black and ugly? Why not make them as unobtrusive as possible?

Report this post »

John Fallon says...
2:58pm Wed 30 Jan 13

I've no objection to recycling bins but why so big? On the Continent, they've lots of recycling bins but they are half the size and emptied every day. And why do they have to be black and ugly? Why not make them as unobtrusive as possible?

Report this post »

John Fallon says...
2:58pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Sorry - the system posted it twice.

Report this post »

Athena says...
3:20pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Continental countries are full of these bins, which are emptied every day. Some villages in France have a nice idea, where they've built a dinky little fence round the bins, to obscure them, and disguised them a little with plant pots. But that's in fairly traffic-free areas where you can empty your rubbish into the bin from the main road. Nonetheless, perhaps we could do something similar. Fence them off from the pavement view?

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heartthrob says...
3:23pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Can we have them hove cream coloured please

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heartthrob says...
3:24pm Wed 30 Jan 13

and what a funny red line that misses the densely poulated hanover area

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SeasideDave says...
3:27pm Wed 30 Jan 13

They are really not that big - come and take a look. When we first got them the same scare-mongering took place "They will be enourmous" "They will take up multiple car spaces". They don't. A refuse bin and recycling bin combo take's up just over one parking space. Not a lot to sacrifice in order to have a clean street.

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mimseycal says...
3:45pm Wed 30 Jan 13

SeasideDave wrote:
They are really not that big - come and take a look. When we first got them the same scare-mongering took place "They will be enourmous" "They will take up multiple car spaces". They don't. A refuse bin and recycling bin combo take's up just over one parking space. Not a lot to sacrifice in order to have a clean street.
Actually, the council itself admits that there will be significant loss of parking spaces ...

And no, they don't lead to clean streets necessarily. What about when these bins fill up and aren't emptied immediately. Stuff ends up being dumped along side of the bins.

As for the claimed 8.5% increase - or what the council triumphantly calls a 70% increase - in recycling ... utterly meaningless in the scale of things. We have no clear unequivocal figure regarding what isn't being recycled so how can we determine how much this will decrease.

Report this post »

lillylou says...
3:46pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Maybe there the new homes for all the Romanians coming!

Report this post »

TreasureIsland says...
4:18pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Dont wait for councillors to finish their time at office, get them out now start demonstrating outside their offices if enough people want this change then you can make it happen good luck

Report this post »

upsidedowntuctuc says...
4:32pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Great idea and has double whammy effect for the Greens who will make sure they are placed where the maximum number of parking spaces can be removed.
Win win situation coupled with a bent 'consultation'.
This coming as Elm Grove 'Improvement' consultation where a similar number of spaces for parking will be removed off the pavement.
Nicer view for Davey as he wobbles down the hill Cheshire grin and rosy cheeks from the Mung Shoot and Cycle Clip Inn.....
All should log on the 'consultation' on line and vote to see their wishes and opinions ignored.
Bookmark
http://consult.brigh
ton-hove.gov.uk/
Then check it to see what else they try and push through with only their supporters aware of 'consultation'

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simps46 says...
4:35pm Wed 30 Jan 13

2 car spaces per set of bins x 350 = 700 parking spaces lost not too many lol

Report this post »

BornInBrighton1968 says...
4:36pm Wed 30 Jan 13

"The only think I wish we could sort out now is the uncaring, lazy, people who insist on fly-tipping next to the bins"

That would be students; here in the Brunswick area they are the ones who usually engage in fly-tipping (whilst at the same time have 'Vote Green' posters in their windows, in a desperate attempt to appear alternative and trendy)

Report this post »

Hove Actually says...
4:40pm Wed 30 Jan 13

700 bins and only 270 parking spaces lost....This is probably a lie however another question is where are the remaining bins going?

Report this post »

Sussex jim says...
4:46pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Jut how is the use of these communal bins going to be policed? I can see them being used for trade waste and non-recyclable rubbish.
It is interesting to see that the comment from the Council on the loss of 270 parking places only mentioned the loss of revenue, not the reduction of an already inadequate facility.

Report this post »

george smith says...
4:59pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Dealing with idiots wrote:
Interesting choice of photo for this article. These bins are on the north side of Western Rd Hove and were placed outside a restaurant with no consultation of the businesses in the area. The restaurant, currently empty, has a licence for tables and chairs out side but who in their right mind would want to sit outside a restaurant or bar when the only view available is of a set of bins. Thanks Jace. Unfortunately another example of our green overlords riding rough shod over the local population with scant regard for those trying to earn a living. Only 2.5 years before they are removed from power. Bring it on.
I thought it was only 18 months. **** it!

Report this post »

Kate234 says...
5:12pm Wed 30 Jan 13

These bins are a nightmare. They encourage fly tipping and there is frequently rubbish piled outside and they don't work properly. In a tourist destination they also look unattractive. The council better be prepared for another big fight if we get these in any area where they are not already located. Any removal of parking spaces in areas with a waiting list is also completely unacceptable.

Report this post »

inadaptado says...
5:51pm Wed 30 Jan 13

lillylou wrote:
Maybe there the new homes for all the Romanians coming!
Maybe your parents dropped you on your head when you were a baby.

Report this post »

inadaptado says...
5:57pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Kate234 wrote:
These bins are a nightmare. They encourage fly tipping and there is frequently rubbish piled outside and they don't work properly. In a tourist destination they also look unattractive. The council better be prepared for another big fight if we get these in any area where they are not already located. Any removal of parking spaces in areas with a waiting list is also completely unacceptable.
'Tourist destination'? What the hell are you talking about? There's been bins like this in the seafront for ages!

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Grumpy0ldman says...
6:43pm Wed 30 Jan 13

simps46 wrote:
2 car spaces per set of bins x 350 = 700 parking spaces lost not too many lol
Not all the bins will be on parking spaces...... Some will be placed on double yellow lines that are deemed to dangerous to park on!!!!

Report this post »

mimseycal says...
6:51pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Grumpy0ldman wrote:
simps46 wrote:
2 car spaces per set of bins x 350 = 700 parking spaces lost not too many lol
Not all the bins will be on parking spaces...... Some will be placed on double yellow lines that are deemed to dangerous to park on!!!!
Double yellow lines cannot be used as they are 'no waiting'; with appropriate signs they may indicate no waiting during times shown on the accompanying sign. Either way, the bins would contravene the road traffic act. Should be fun ;-)

Report this post »

Zorniza says...
7:05pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Bob_The_Ferret wrote:
The use of communal bins is all very well, but as we get more and more of them, the impact they have becomes significant. Apart from being large and unsightly, and causing a potential nuisance if sited right outside your front door, they can dangerously obstruct views when unthoughtfully placed near junctions, and of course there is the loss of parking places in our overcrowded streets.

The council should seriously look at the continental system of housing the bins under the street with small, unobtrusive chutes for depositing refuse, particularly in the more sensitive areas of the city.
"The council should seriously look at the continental system of housing the bins under the street with small, unobtrusive chutes for depositing refuse, particularly in the more sensitive areas of the city."
I agree, we do not need 'busses' outside our windows next to the people carriers with their luggage racks - when I look outside my window, I feel like I am living in a prison
Also the lovely architecture in this city was not built to be seen over the tops of ugly bins (if you can see it at all).
Some of us like to walk, but it is getting more and more depressing because of the things there are around like ugly bins.
On a practical side, I know at least one person in Landsdowne who sold her flat because she could not stand to have the bin they put outside where she was living.

Report this post »

Zorniza says...
7:06pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Bob_The_Ferret wrote:
The use of communal bins is all very well, but as we get more and more of them, the impact they have becomes significant. Apart from being large and unsightly, and causing a potential nuisance if sited right outside your front door, they can dangerously obstruct views when unthoughtfully placed near junctions, and of course there is the loss of parking places in our overcrowded streets.

The council should seriously look at the continental system of housing the bins under the street with small, unobtrusive chutes for depositing refuse, particularly in the more sensitive areas of the city.
"The council should seriously look at the continental system of housing the bins under the street with small, unobtrusive chutes for depositing refuse, particularly in the more sensitive areas of the city."
I agree, we do not need 'busses' outside our windows next to the people carriers with their luggage racks - when I look outside my window, I feel like I am living in a prison
Also the lovely architecture in this city was not built to be seen over the tops of ugly bins (if you can see it at all).
Some of us like to walk, but it is getting more and more depressing because of the things there are around like ugly bins.
On a practical side, I know at least one person in Landsdowne who sold her flat because she could not stand to have the bin they put outside where she was living.

Report this post »

Uncle_Meat says...
8:13pm Wed 30 Jan 13

As Hanover has decided not to have these bins, hopefully the council will now enforce their own laws and fine people who leave bins/bags/binvalopes
/recycling dumped on the pavement 24/7.

Report this post »

Purple55 says...
8:49pm Wed 30 Jan 13

"If approved, locals will have to empty paper, card, cans and plastic bottles into large containers in their street."

Does this mean a minimum of 3 recycling containers placed side-by-side in each location? As I thought we weren't permitted to mix paper, cans and plastic. Or can we? Not so bad if only the 1 bin that we throw everything into.

Report this post »

PorkBoat says...
9:31pm Wed 30 Jan 13

Purple55 wrote:
"If approved, locals will have to empty paper, card, cans and plastic bottles into large containers in their street."

Does this mean a minimum of 3 recycling containers placed side-by-side in each location? As I thought we weren't permitted to mix paper, cans and plastic. Or can we? Not so bad if only the 1 bin that we throw everything into.
There used to be things like that, where you could throw everything into. They were called "dustbins", and they were collected once a week by men wearing donkey jackets, and clinging onto the back of "dustcarts". .

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Purple55 says...
9:42pm Wed 30 Jan 13

@Porkboat: I hear you! We're in such civilised times that we now walk the streets with our rubbish... I digress ;) But I did mean specifically for recycling as know some towns have 'sorting' facilities meaning it's not so critical to have it separated beforehand.

If they're proposing placing an extra 3 containers next to existing, wherever possible, that does make a huge difference. I live on a fairly small block (Lorna Rd area, Hove) where we already have a container on each corner (total of 4), furthest from me being no more than 2mins walking, closest 30seconds. I am already surrounded! If they place another 3 by each one that's getting b***dy ridiculous! Hopefully some common sense will be applied in small areas, but sense and this council rarely see eye-to-eye :(

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Bill in Hanover says...
10:11pm Wed 30 Jan 13

I occasionally walk through Hollingdean where they have communal bins and they are always overflowing and if the new bins are for separated recycling I cannot see anyone bothering, they will just dump everything in but I suppose it will give our loony Councillors the excuse to then employ bin wardens to covertly watch everyone getting rid of their rubbish

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Dave At Home says...
10:27pm Wed 30 Jan 13

I see the affected area is also the new 20mph speed limit area and they think we are stupid!!!! Why not change the name of this city now to Corals, because it has gone to the dogs.

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WhatsNotToLike says...
10:52pm Wed 30 Jan 13

This might be a risky comment, given peoples issues with the proposed new communal bins, which I totally understand (and it may not be realistic) but, if we are to get these bins and have no choices in the matter, one possible way to make them more atheistically pleasing could be to give them to local artists to give them a 'Brighton makeover' so they could be in essence installation art 'on street'? Some of our local artists are incredibly talented, it could allow artists to showcase their work and the artist would take the area in question into consideration wherever your communal bin is situated, They could adopt a bin LOL and give it a gorilla makeover...better than a black nasty bin imo! If you are going to get them, why not bright and cheerful, than dull and black. Perhaps a project for the Fringe? Who knows just a thought!

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Wooton Basset says...
2:29am Thu 31 Jan 13

Cant wait to see the Albert Speer style bins with matching traffic lights...

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wcarstairs says...
5:47am Thu 31 Jan 13

More toys for drunks to tip over in the early hours!

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Angryoldman says...
7:31am Thu 31 Jan 13

They don't empty the ones they have already. Always overflowing with rubbish blowing down the street.

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Oooh err says...
8:59am Thu 31 Jan 13

I think this is a great idea. As someone who makes a living driving through Hove I have often looked enviously on people who can just dump a bed, fireplace, sofa and all manner of tat next to a giant bin in the middle of Poets Corner whenever they feel like whilst I have to cram my detritus into a 2ft square box and carry it out to the side of the road on the day the council specify.

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Athena says...
9:10am Thu 31 Jan 13

Oooh err wrote:
I think this is a great idea. As someone who makes a living driving through Hove I have often looked enviously on people who can just dump a bed, fireplace, sofa and all manner of tat next to a giant bin in the middle of Poets Corner whenever they feel like whilst I have to cram my detritus into a 2ft square box and carry it out to the side of the road on the day the council specify.
Yep, in Spain I've seen fridges and cookers next to giant wheelie-bins and in Greece I've seen anything you care to name. Mind you, that's the recycling service who collect it up. Eventually.

Report this post »

Fairfax Sakes says...
10:05am Thu 31 Jan 13

I can't think of any rational objection to a scheme which both helps the environment and reduces costs. So you have to park your BM convertible and walk another 100 metres to get to your penthouse apartmnet, oh boo hoo.
Keep up the good work Green party, you'll put this putrid city right yet.

Report this post »

668 The neighbour of the beast says...
10:57am Thu 31 Jan 13

It's the claims that it will save money that depress me. Seems diagnostic of ignorance and loss of insight.

Report this post »

Skidrow says...
8:42am Fri 1 Feb 13

It will certainly save builders money when they don't have to pay to take rubble asbestos gypsum tar & everything else to landfill.

Whats not to like? Sp. Aesthetically. We do have a choice - don't vote for these loonys again.

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Athena says...
11:29am Fri 1 Feb 13

Having lived on the Continent for years, I'm used to giant wheelie-bins, but they are emptied every day there. Here, they would be visually better than a forest of little wheelie-bins up and down the pavement. Having them "brightened up" by street artists might make them a bit more appealing. As to losing a few parking spaces, well, you can't have everything, and there are too many cars.

Report this post »

brightonbunny says...
12:01pm Fri 1 Feb 13

Purple55 wrote:
"If approved, locals will have to empty paper, card, cans and plastic bottles into large containers in their street."

Does this mean a minimum of 3 recycling containers placed side-by-side in each location? As I thought we weren't permitted to mix paper, cans and plastic. Or can we? Not so bad if only the 1 bin that we throw everything into.
Yes you can mix paper, cans and plastic - but you are supposed to separate glass and batteries. This has been the case for the black box recycling for years now. It's all sorted automatically at the waste processing centre in Hollingbury. See the council website:

http://www.brighton-
hove.gov.uk/index.cf
m?request=c1228714

When they introduced the big black bins for "normal" waste a few years ago I complained against it.

I was wrong.

Now we have far cleaner streets, no seagulls attacking the rubbish and you can put your rubbish in 24/7. OK theyre maybe the very occasional fly-tipping next the bin, but as they are emptied daily, its usually gone within 24 hours.

Most bins were placed where double-yellows used to be, without loss of parking. That's why there will not be 700 lost parking spaces.

Bring it on - that way I dont have to store recycling in my spare rom for two weeks between collections!

Report this post »

Resident in Hanover says...
9:16pm Sun 3 Feb 13

Uncle_Meat wrote:
As Hanover has decided not to have these bins, hopefully the council will now enforce their own laws and fine people who leave bins/bags/binvalopes

/recycling dumped on the pavement 24/7.
This might enlighten you somewhat, Uncle_Meat

https://www.facebook
.com/pages/Hanover-B
in-Action-Group/1229
68401199041?ref=hl

and this:

http://www.theargus.
co.uk/news/10085430.
Widespead_disgust_at
_Brighton_and_Hove_c
ommunal_bin_plan/

Report this post »

Resident in Hanover says...
10:21pm Sun 3 Feb 13

Incidentally, the claim of saving £500k over 6 years is **** right lame!

Especially so because £30k a year is lost every year on damaged bins owing to inadequate collection-lorry designs.

Who in the council purchased lorries that gobble up four bins a day? Is that a Gillian Marston or Jan Jonker special?

Or is that you Mr Kitcat?

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