A SOUTHEND resident has been left to deal with "a nightmare" after three flats sharing a driveway have been delivered nine wheelie bins with a lack of storge space.
Three flats on Baxter Avenue, Southend, have each received three wheelie bins despite having no sufficient space to store the nine total bins with a shared building and driveway, leaseholder Nick Stevens claims.
The bins arrived amid the citywide rollout with Southend Council's new waste collection service by Suez in a bid to improve recycling efficiency.
Nick, 43, says he has contacted the council to appeal the bins and request their removal, but to no avail.
He said: "I'm in the second stage of the appeal process, but I've been told the properties have 'ample room' and have deemed sufficient space - but there is no space.
"We only have one parking space per flat for the building and the gardens are tiny - we can't put them round the side either because there's flowerbeds and walkways that need to be kept clear, so where do we put them.
"What are we supposed to do with nine bins? It's a nightmare."
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Nick described the last two and a half weeks since the bins first arrived as a "mighty inconvenience," having to pull them all off the drive, line them up, drive his van in, and put them all back just to get parked up.
He added: "This is perfect for a semi-detached property with a big family, and I'm in favour of them for suitable properties, but nine bins for three flats the size of one normal property doesn't add up."
Lydia Hyde, councillor for waste, said: “We know that some households produce more waste than others, particularly larger families or those with specific medical needs. That’s why we’ve opened applications for larger 240-litre bins for eligible residents. This will make it easier for those households to manage their waste responsibly under the new collection system.
“We’re also keen to support houses that have been converted into flats. In many cases, a shared larger bin set will help reduce the number of containers at the front of properties, while still providing enough capacity for everyone. This is a practical and tidy solution that works for both residents and crews, and we’ll assess each application carefully to make sure the right bin sizes are provided for the property.”
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