AIBU - log and bin store

[Ellypoo]

We don't have any access to the back of our house, but we have a small front paved yard area.
We have a number of wheelie bins from the local council - recycling, normal waste, garden waste etc; and also a log burner.
Because we can't keep the bins at the back of our house, and we don't want to have to look at them all the time, we have built a store to hide 2 of the bins (we don't use the garden waste one - can't easily get it to/from the garden!) and a log store.
someone has complained to the council, and because we don't have planning permission (we didn't know we needed to tbh), they have asked us to take it down.
So it seems that they would rather see a load of plastic bins lined up outside the front of houses than a discreet store that is in keeping with the local area. Very annoyed, don't know who has reported it, and don't know if it's worth fighting the council.
So, AIBU to want to hide the horrid smelly bins away?

could you put it on 'wheels' so that in theory it moves (although you won't be moving it) as then it would have the same status as the wheely bins and will no longer be a 'building'.
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It is because it comes under the same status as a shed which means that you need permission for it to be on the front elevation.

It sounds like the bin/wood store would look nicer than the bins on there own but I think you are over reacting to the complaint. Maybe the person who complained was worried you would have the same response if they spoke to you directly.

We had a large extension and I promised my Nieghbours that I wouldn't mind if they had any objections and that I truely wouldn't mind if they objected to the council. Sometimes it's better that things like that are dealt with impartially by the council.

I'm still surprised that anyone cared enough to complain though.

The complaint is not really about your structure. It's about what others might build with you having set a precedence. As you yourself say, others have said they are thinking of doing something similar. Their efforts might not be so aesthetically pleasing to their neighbours. Maybe someone else will be wanting a store for something else, another a giant wendy-house. Where does it stop? This is possibly what the complainer is worried about.

I'd definitely talk to the planning department about a retrospective planning application.

Well we have spent the evening speaking to as many of our local neighbours as we could (some weren't in, there are also a number of holiday cottages) and every single one of them are in support and actually wanted to write a comment to say as such - all of them (so far) prefer what we have in place to just having the bins on show, so my DH will try to speak to the council tomorrow to try to see what alternatives might be acceptable.

annienon I'm a little confused as to why I am over reacting about the complaint- we have spent quite a lot of money to have this built which would hide the bins but also be in keeping with the area, and when we have been given such positive feedback because it is sensible and looks nice, it is hard not to be just a little frustrated with the situation!!

And there really isn't enough space in anyone else's front 'yards' to put much more, and because of the traffic you wouldn't want your kids playing at the front anyway - you really couldn't do much with the space available (it is not possible to have car parking eg).

For me big wheels bins and sheds both look horrid in front of three hundred year old cottages. But I think I'd go for the bins because they are temporary. Paint obscenities on them though.

"we could easily cut the bottom bits off and detach it from the ground"

I'm interested in this self-levitating store.

I would be inclined to grow a hedge, or some fast climbers on a wire frame or trellis, to hide the bins. I might even consider growing plants in tubs so that they were not fixed and I could move them if I ever felt the need.

It's not really relevant what else could be put there, it affects (effects?) the neighbourhood so the neighbourhood should have a chance to put their views across.

I would be getting one of those bin stickers a great big garish one

My friend has an old house and has to store her wheelie bins in the front garden. She has bought willow screening to hide her bins, looks really nice.

I lived in Brighton Hove in a lovely Victorian Terrace very small gardens and very very small front area. People have started building these storage are as in the front against the side wall and its all you can see out of your front window. Ugly, intrusive and very unpleasant. Wheelie bins are also optional not mandatory so we just had a normal dustbin. Sorry but you are really only presenting one side of this and yabu

Wow! That was a bit harsh. OPs wheelie bins may well be mandatory, as they are here. She hasn't made any claims, just asked if there is any point challenging the decision, especially given most of her full time neighbours seem to be in favour.

Round here you cannot leave bins visible from the street. So we couldn't do as you are doing in Brighton Hove, or OPs home. There are many local restrictions and exceptions. So OP is not BU, she is just wondering!

I looked at the planning portal; terraces; fences wall and gates, www.planningportal.gov.uk/permission/terrace

and it looks like you can build a fence up to 2metres high, if it is not next to the highway or pavement, and one metre high if it is.

So I wonder if you could have a fence panel as a screen, to prevent the bins being seen from the road. Perhaps you could have two panels in a "L" shape.

But I am still attracted by the idea of a hedge.

I completely understand that it's frustrating. I would be frustrated if I were you too. I was thinking that you sounded angry with the person who complained but I've reread you posts and it's more that you are frustrated with the situation rather that the person who made the complaint. Sorry that I got the wrong end of the stick.
I'm not sure that speaking to your neighbours will be that helpful. I doubt any of them would admit to the complaint and I suspect most people would just agree with you even if they tell the council something different.

I really feel your pain OP, that is so annoying. Def try and appeal/apply for retrospective pp if you can.

We have a version of this which, while expensive for what it is, has worked really well. Just in case the feckers make you take it down!

Sorry, this

Out of interest why do you have a log burner in your front garden?

We contacted the council and had our bins swapped out for small wheelie bins, the type they usually issue to single people. We have weekly collections though. It's made them much smaller and discreeter but they are still an eyesore

Some neighbours have had a section taken out of their front wall and built a second internal garden wall so there is a channel with direct access to the street between two houses where the bins are stored. They are not covered but as the wall is waist high, they are shielded a little. I doubt very much that they obtained planning permission to change the external boundary...

What about permitted development?

Merly - it's not permitted development because it's in front of the house.

(Pedantic hat on) - technically, it's not permitted development as it's forward from the foremost building line of the house. So you can have something at the front if it doesn't project beyond the forward most point of the property.