Hackney Council's Planning Sub-Committee has granted planning permission for a resident of Ashenden Road to erect a bin store and planters within their front garden.
The decision was made at a meeting on 30 July 2025, where the committee considered an application for 72 Ashenden Road, E5 0DT. The proposal includes the erection of a bin store and planters within the front garden, and the replacement of the front brick boundary wall.
The proposed structure has a height of 1.15m with an additional 20cm above for the planter. It is 80cm deep to the front and 35cm deep to the side to partially enclose the bins. The bin storage would enclose two 240-litre wheelie bins, and the bike storage would have a width of approximately 3.75m. The structure would be constructed of cor-ten steel, and the planter will allow for soft landscaping and greenery.
The committee report, detailed in the 2025_1051 72 Ashenden Road report, noted that the surrounding front boundary treatments along Ashenden Road and Trehurst Street are varied in style, materials and height. There are numerous examples of bike and bin storage structures within close proximity to the site.
The report also noted that the height of the proposed structure is taller than simple masonry boundary walls nearby and will slightly reduce the visual interaction between street and house frontage, but it is practical for covering Hackney's council mandated wheelie bins. The document does not provide the rationale behind mandating 240-litre wheelie bins in Hackney, but it does state that the height of the proposed structure is practical for covering Hackney's council mandated wheelie bins. The overall aesthetic would not be overly dominant and would not detract from the existing streetscape. The new replacement wall and storage facilities would not adversely impact any neighbouring living conditions.
The proposal is considered to enhance the standard of accommodation provided to the occupants of the dwelling by providing designated and secure waste and transport storage facilities. The proposed bin and cycle storage would encourage both the ability to recycle waste and encourage cycling as an environmentally friendly alternative to private car use. The front garden area has no existing vegetation on site so there will be no loss of existing biodiverse habitat. The proposed development seeks to install a planter, which will increase ecology and biodiversity at the site.
The proposed cycle and bin stores feature outward opening doors which open to the street. A compliance condition is proposed to ensure the doors are fixed shut when the enclosures are not in use, to safeguard against potential obstruction on the public footway. The council proposes a compliance condition to ensure the doors are fixed shut when the enclosures are not in use, to safeguard against potential obstruction on the public footway. The document does not specify the penalties for non-compliance.
The committee granted planning permission subject to conditions, including that the external doors of the cycle and refuse enclosures must be closed and fixed shut at all times when the enclosures are not in use, in the interests of safety and to prevent obstruction on the adjoining public footway.
