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The well-heeled residents of some of London’s most desirable “villages” are in open revolt over moves to halve their bin collections that they claim discriminate against “actors, artists and celebrities.”

A decision by Labour run Camden council to introduce a fortnightly cycle in areas such as Highgate, Hampstead, Belsize Park and Primrose Hill has led to accusations that it is targetting the “liberal elite” in its most exclusive neighbourhoods.

The “bin wars” have also set the leafy enclaves in the north of one of London’s most diverse boroughs against the council estates of the south near Kings Cross and Euston stations where weekly collections will be largely retained.

Some wealthy property owners are so upset they are even threatening to withhold part of their council tax in protest.

Fashion designer and sculptor Nicole Farhi, who shares her Hamstead home with her left wing playwright husband Sir David Hare, said the move to a fortnightly rubbish collection was “ridiculous” and that more expensive neighbourhoods were being penalised.

She told the Standard: “It’s totally ridiculous we are very angry about this. Where are we going to store our rubbish, do we have to pay for a skip?

“There will be rats and foxes. Because we have a big house we already pay more council tax and should get the services other parts of the borough get. They should discount our council tax for this but that won’t happen. We will not stand for this.”

Award winning actor Tom Conti, 75, today described Camden’s move as “horrifying”. The Shirley Valentine star speaking at his Hampstead home said: “It’s horrifying the council wastes so much money then doesn’t collect the rubbish. We should all deduct some of our council tax, it’s outrageous.

“It’s a basic service and it will mean dirtier streets. I don’t know whether they are targeting richer neighbourhoods on purpose but it wouldn’t surprise me.”

The streets affected by the move, which Camden bosses claim will save £5 million a year, are home to some of Britain’s best known figures, including footballers Thierry Henry and Olivier Giroud as well as Boy George, Harry Styles, James Corden and Ricky Gervais in Hampstead and writer Alan Bennett and designer Stefano Gabbana in Primrose Hill.

In some cases even next door neighbours will have different collection rotas under the plans approved earlier this month.

Property developer Stacey Offer, 50, lives on Lambolle Road in Belsize ward and will have her rubbish collected fortnightly, while next door neighbour - because she is technically on a different street - will continue weekly collections.

She said: “It is crazy that next door will have a different collection. Our rubbish already piles high. I am an avid recycler and I hope that some good can come out of this with more recycling but the council tend to dictate to us which we don’t like.”

Jonny Bucknell, Conservative councillor for the Belsize ward, which will be hit by the changes, said: “This is clearly a targeted attack on the perceived wealth in the likes of Primrose Hill and Hampstead. It seems like an attack on the liberal elite of actors, artists and celebrities who live in the area. It’s no coincidence and it is not acceptable. It’s created a bin war.”

He added: “People in the north of the borough who pay a fortune in council tax are feeling seriously ripped off. The savings are only £5 million, which is peanuts in the great scheme of local authority funding with a turnover of £1 billion.”

Under the changes to collections, to begin in April, food waste and recycling will still be collected weekly across the whole of the borough. Camden Council also claims the move will help enourage recycling.

But residents remain to be convinced. George Selley, 23, a teacher of fine art in Hampstead, said: “This plan is ludicrous and seems to penalising the part of the borough which is more affluent and has more celebrities and artists.

"Collecting rubbish is a basic service and who discriminate by collecting in part of the borough and not the other. I would gladly pay extra but to dilute the service is ridiculous and is not acceptable.”

Another resident, who did not want to be named said: “It’s just a thinly veiled attack on people the council think are privileged. It’s Corbynista really.”

Rupert Terry, the chairman of Redington Frognal Association, another neighbourhood where the fortnightly collection will kick in, said: “Why just pick certain areas? This area, if it is more affluent, is paying more council tax, is more likely to use private hospitals and their own security force. Rubbish collection was one of the things they were actually provided.”

Camden Council has argued that the storage space outside the properties chosen for fortnightly collections were on average larger and so rubbish would not spill onto the street.

The council also carried out a consultation which suggested residents would accept a less frequent collection.

Councillor Meric Apak, cabinet member for sustainability and environment at the council said: “Camden Council joins over 76 per cent of local authorities who prioritise recycling and are already delivering fortnightly rubbish collections across the country.”