HOME-buyers on a new Darwen estate are being hit with an unexpected £90 fee for bins.

Miller Homes, who are building the Woodland Park development in the Anyon Street area of Sudell, have declined to pay for wheelie, recycling or garden waste bins for the new homes.

Blackburn with Darwen Council says that, historically, it has been the developer’s responsibility to provide the bins, but there is no requirement for them to do so.

Coun Roy Davies said he had been contacted by several new owners with complaints. He said: “People have to be aware of this, because at the moment, they’re buying houses and then being hit with another cost.

“Ninety pounds is a lot of money especially after the cost of moving. But it’s peanuts for big developers, so they should take some responsibility.”

A spokesman for Miller Homes said the company had sold 228 properties on the site over seven years and provision of bins had always been the responsibility of the resident.

The spokesman added: “Policies differ according to local authority area but in the majority of cases, in our experience, it is accepted that the local authority is responsible for the free provision of wheelie bins or that they are funded by the residents. In the case of Woodland Park, we have never been responsible for provision.”

A council spokesman said: “Historically, it was the developers who bought the bins, but there is no requirement for them to do so, and so this kind of charge is not a new thing. We also now charge for bins that are lost or stolen, but we replace damaged bins free of charge. From our perspective, owners are buying into the whole collection service, not just buying a bin.”

In Ribble Valley, the council will provide bins if it is a single house that has been built, but on larger sites, the developer pays.

Hyndburn currently supplies bins for new properties but recently some developers have agreed to provide them as part of Section 106 agreements. The requirement is set to be formalised shortly.