A group of Ramsey residents have said they strongly object to the installation of a hard-standing for recycling bins on land that has been recently taken over by the town’s commissioners.

The land at the junction of Fairway Drive and Claughbane Drive was offered to the commissioners as a public open space by the owner, Hartford Homes.

The plans for the land is for it to become a nature reserve, which the group of nearby residents welcome, however the installation of a hard-standing for four recycling bins together with a section of drop kerbing to allow the bins to be collected have angered locals.

In the planning statement it describes the area as a ‘small green oasis that provides a valuable area of habitat for wildlife’, but disgruntled residents fear that if the recycling bins are allowed, overspill could attract vermin which could frighten off small birds instead of attracting them.

The group also questions why the Hartford Homes plan that accompanies the application does not show the row of houses (Kneale Court), which are situated opposite the proposed bins.

Furthermore, residents say they are frustrated at the lack of an ‘impact study to show how the bins would affect the amenity value of the neighbourhood’, ‘no consultation with local residents’ and ‘no consultation with the Highways Department with regard to parking provision, bin collection, or the effect of traffic management in an area where there is already congestion and is a designated “home zone”’.

A spokesperson added: ‘The application gives no evidence of demand for a recycling hub, which, incidentally, was not mentioned in the original offer of the land by Hartford Homes to the Commissioners. It has been added-on by the board’.

The group concluded that the proposed recycling hub is ‘totally inappropriate’.

In approving the application, the Planning Committee said no permission was required for the recycling element as it comes under ‘permitted development’.

As part of the planning process, Highway Services were consulted by planning and said: ‘After reviewing the application, Highway Services finds it to have no significant negative impact upon the highway safety, network functionality, and/or parking due to the attraction of local trips likely to come by non-motorised travel.’

Meanwhile, Ramsey Town Commissioners have defended the recycling bins plan, stating that recycling needs to be made easier for the people of the town, and said the hard-standing in the Fairway Drive and Claughbane Drive area is being prepared at the expense of Hartford Homes so the location can ‘potentially be used in the future’.

Tim Cowin, clerk of Ramsey Commissioners, told the Manx Independent that the board are looking at ‘various ways to increase the levels of recycling’ and explained the importance of recycling bins in this area.

He said: ‘It is important that the recycling area was included in the Planning Application as it gives clear visibility and process to the siting of such an area.

‘The planning application was at Planning Committee last week, where the application was recommended for approval and all residents within 20 metres were granted interested party status by the committee.

‘Ramsey Town Commissioners are looking to trial recycling nodes (points) close to where people live, as they afford people the opportunity to deposit their recycling materials quickly and easily’, he said.

‘There is to be a trial of one recycling node here in Ramsey this year and that will be on the Mooragh Promenade, there are no other firm plans in place.

‘With Ramsey Town Commissioners spending over £350,000 on the disposal of waste per year, improving recycling is important to reduce costs as well as do the right thing for the environment.’