BIN stores at an Oxford City Council owned block of flats will be replaced with a new, more fire resistant set.

The five bin stores at 1 to 7 Birchfield Close were approved by Oxford City Council's east area planning committee on Wednesday night.

According to a council officer at the meeting, the new bin stores at the council flats are of a similar design to others which have been built at other council houses.

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The bin stores are made of wood but are treated to be 'fire retardant'.

Alongside the new bin stores, two sheds will be built for the residents at Birchfield Close to use for storage.

A report to the planning committee said the new sheds will be larger than those which are currently located at the flat blocks.

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How the current bin stores at Birchfield Close look. Picture: Oxford City Council.

Labour councillor Shaista Aziz said: "I think this is a really good idea and I hope it works. I am a councillor on the Rosehill estate. I see the vandalism there so I really welcome this."

Labour councillor Nigel Chapman asked if the new bin stores would be of the same size or larger than those which are currently at the flats.

He said he was concerned the bins could be smaller, which might lead to overspill.

A council officer said they did not know if the new stores were larger than the current ones, but said there were more of them and the space inside of them was being used more efficiently.

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This, said the council officer, meant the bins probably had more storage space than the ones currently at Birchfield Close which are set to be knocked down and replaced.

See planning reference 19/02210/CT3.