Households which use their log burner could face an instant £300 fine depending on whether they live in one of 27 cities and towns in England.
Households in many major cities in England risk fines of up to £300 if they use their log burner – and up to £1,000 for using unauthorised fuels.
With the Ofgem price cap spiralling upwards in recent years, log burners, wood burners and other chimney-connected traditional heating types have enjoyed a resurgence in popularity.
People are still using wood burning stoves, open fires and fireplaces as a cosy and traditional way of keeping warm in winter. But what some don’t realise is that there are strict environmental laws in place governing smoke emissions, especially in urban areas across much of England, known as Smoke Control Areas.
Smoke Control Areas are boundaries, agreed by local councils, which restrict the use of chimneys within them.
This doesn’t just limit the amount of smoke you can produce from a chimney, but is a blanket ban stopping you from emitting any smoke from your chimney at all.
Most major cities in England fall under a Defra Smoke Control Area, including most of London, as well as most of Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham, Sheffield, Newcastle and Liverpool.
Defra says in its guidance: “Open fires and wood-burning stoves have risen in popularity over recent years.
“Smoke from burning causes air pollution which harms the health of millions.
“We can work together to improve the quality of the air we breathe.
“Did you know that certain areas of the country are designated as ‘smoke control areas’?
“A smoke control area is a legally defined area where you cannot emit smoke from a chimney.
“You can be issued a financial penalty of between £175 to £300 if you break this rule.
“You must not buy an unauthorised fuel for use in a smoke control area unless it is to be used in an exempt appliance. You can be fined up to £1,000 if you break this rule.
“Defra exempted stoves include wood-burning and multi-fuel stoves. These have been rigorously tested and demonstrate low smoke emissions when used in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions and with the recommended fuel.”
Cities in England which are fully or partly covered by a Smoke Control Area include:
London (all of London, except West Ham)
Birmingham
Manchester
Sheffield
Leeds
Liverpool
Newcastle
Wakefield
Nottingham
Derby
Bristol
Bath
Stoke-on-Trent
Bradford
Preston
Leicester
Norwich
Peterborough
Hull
Doncaster
Wolverhampton
Worcester
Coventry
Milton Keynes
Reading
Portsmouth
Brighton
A Defra spokesperson said: “This is about cutting the most harmful emission to human health, usually in built up areas where they can do most damage, and is not about whether a building has a chimney.
“Smoke Control Areas stop chimneys from releasing smoke and only allow certain fuels to be burnt unless an approved appliance is used. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing Smoke Control Areas
But there are other areas including towns and parishes which also have Smoke Control Areas in place, as well as areas within these cities which do not.
To check if your area is covered, go to https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data/sca/
