A heritage society is in a row with a council over plans to finally introduce wheelie bins to a historic town high street celebrated as one of the prettiest in Britain.
Residents in Lymington in the Hampshire New Forest fear it may turn into Britains most bin blighted after the controversial proposals are rolled out.
Unsightly plastic rubbish bins will be introduced to the area for the first time ever next year, despite a backlash from locals who fear they could tarnish the areas famed rural aesthetic.
Four years after the plans were first unveiled, residents in the upmarket town of Lymington are concerned that the presence of the new bins will spoil their high street - celebrated for its Georgian architecture - which was recently nominated as one of the most attractive in the country.
A heritage society is in a row with a council over plans to finally introduce wheelie bins to Lymington - a town celebrated as one of the prettiest in Britain
Locals fear the town may turn into Britains most bin blighted after the controversial proposals are rolled out
Invented in Slough in 1968, the wheelie bin has been a common sight throughout Britain since the late 1980s.
However, the New Forest has resisted the change and stuck to residents leaving plastic rubbish bags outside their homes for collection.
Despite being first mooted in 2020, there is still uproar over the £5.6m scheme.
Donald Mackenzie chairs The Lymington Society - whose mission is to protecting our Town and the surrounding area for the future - and said he worries the bins could totally damage the appearance of the area.
To go from the UKs prettiest high street to Britains most bin blighted would be a shame really, the 74 year old said.
The former dentist said his society has had no clarification from the local council on whether areas that arent suited to wheelie bins will still have to have them.
What we want to know is what the plans are because we dont want bins left out in front of the historic buildings and you know, permanently out on display in front of houses that havent got anywhere to keep them, he said.
We have grave concern about the lack of openness from the council about the introduction of wheelie bins on our high streets and other conservation areas.
Mr Mackenzie said the society, which was formed by local people in 1967, initially voted in favour of the bins and welcomed modern changes.
Pictured: Left to right Peter Stone, Peter Jones, Don Mackenzie and Clive Sutton on Lymington High Street, Hants
But, some years after the plans were confirmed, the group are now concerned about the lack of clarity from the council.
Historic areas where we have views of the town shouldnt be blighted by dozens of wheelie bins, he said.
We are concerned that the appearance and character of the [town] could be undermined by wheelie bin blight.
Mr Mackenzie, who has lived in the town since 1981, said if the listed houses along the high street and in the area are covered with bins then its going to look really unpleasant.
He said some areas just arent suitable for bins and raised concerns that NFDC had delegated the decision for which properties should get wheelie bins to Keep Britain Tidy.
We have no idea what the New Forest District Council has said to Keep Britain Tidy, he said.
Would they say that the historic sites and conservation areas should be protected? We dont know.
Mr Mackenzie said it is not reassuring for the local community that Keep Britain Tidy may have the last say on where the bins go.
Despite repeatedly approaching the council for clarity on where the bins will be put, Mr Mackenzie said he has repeatedly been fobbed off.
Lymington High Street was recently voted as one of the UKs prettiest for its architectural grandeur and variety of seaside shops and cafes.
The New Forest is one of the last remaining areas in the UK where wheelie bins dont adorn the pavements and is the last in Hampshire.
Earlier this year, the local authority released details on the recycling and rubbish collection scheme.
According to the council website, the new service will be rolled out in phases in different areas of the district from summer 2025 to spring 2026.
Most properties will be given a 240 litre wheelie bin for recycling and a 180 litre wheelie bin for rubbish, the council said.
The Facebook group No to Wheelie Bins in New Forest has 808 members and is used as a place for locals to air their opinions on the scheme.
One member said she is not filling a slop bucket in response to the announcement of the plans.
Another user, Ronnie Grose, wrote: The complete lack of consultation from the appalling NFDC over this is a disgrace.
Many people have nowhere to keep these ugly, smelly bins, and old people will struggle to move them to the front of the property for collection.
Former Tory Cllr Sue Bennison spoke out against the plans and the unsightly bins when they were first unveiled in 2022.
The 74 year old said she is concerned that there are a number of homes in the New Forest with narrow roads where bin collection vehicles wont be able to get through.
For people like me, who dont fit into the scheme, it will be nice to know what theyre going to do and when they are going to do it, the parish councillor said.
I think a lot of us are just going to suck it and see.
The New Forest District Council (NFDC) was ranked 174th out of 216 English waste collection authorities for recycling rate between 2020 and 2021.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Jack Davies said locals will have to adapt to the bins.
The 28 year old Lymington and Pennington Town Mayor said the district is one of the worst performing areas for recycling so something has to give.
My view boiled down is I think there are certainly many upsides [to wheelie bins], he said.
The issue is how do people adapt and how does the council mitigate the impact on residents who are going to struggle.
New Forest District Council have been approached for comment.