You must make the right arrangements for storing and collecting rubbish and recycling when you plan any kind of new development.
Guidelines for architects and property developers
Whether you are designing a single house, a new shop or a large block of flats, you should read the Waste management guidelines for architects and property developers (PDF) document before you submit your planning application.
However, the following checklist is provided for developers of smaller housing and flatted developments (less than 50 units) to help ensure they have addressed all of the key requirements of this guidance prior to submitting a planning application.
Checklists for Smaller Developments (PDF)
Please note that this checklist is provided for convenience only to help developers cover the main points of the guidance, and should not replace a thorough understanding of this guidance as a whole.
You will find information about:
- The arrangements you need to make for different types of developments
- The number and size of rubbish and recycling bins you must provide, and the amount of space you must leave
- The maximum distances the bins can be stored from homes or collection points
- The sort of access you need to allow for rubbish collection trucks, and for people living or working in the new buildings to get to the bins
- Alternative types of waste management systems, including food waste disposers, which could help to reduce the amount of waste that is put out for collection.
Bins for housing developments
If you are a developer or housing agent, you must buy the bins for all new domestic properties, including houses with their own bins.
It is now our policy that all bins must be purchased from us. For further details on the new policies please see our Newham Recycling and Waste Collection Policy (PDF).
For existing locations where communal waste bins have been lost, stolen or vandalised, the managing agent will need to buy replacement bins.
Make sure you contact us at least six months before you need the bins to be delivered as we may need to order them in for you.
You may need to make your own temporary arrangements if you leave it too late to order bins in time for new residents moving in.
Individual houses
Houses with their own bins should have two 240L wheelie bins – one for rubbish (all green) and one for recycling (green with an orange lid).
Communal waste
Eurobins for communal waste storage are made from galvanised steel and built to EN840 standard.
Rubbish bins will be black painted steel with a black lid. Recycling bins will have green bodies and orange lids.
Please contact recycling@newham.gov.uk to discuss.
Setting up waste collections for new developments
At least two weeks before residents move in to your new properties, you will need to email recycling@newham.gov.uk to make arrangements to set up collections.
Make sure you include in your email:
- The full address(es) of the development
- The number of dwellings
- Any important information on access (particularly if construction is still ongoing)
- The dates when the dwellings are being occupied
- Details on the location of any bin stores – it can be helpful to provide a plan of the site with these marked out.
You will also need to make sure we have access to gates or doors. If we will need keys or fobs, you must have four of these available for our teams.
