Woodburning information

Lewisham is a smoke control area, which means it is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney anywhere in the borough. If smoke control rules are broken, the occupier of the property can receive a fine of up to £1,000. 

Overview

In smoke control areas, you can only burn “smokeless” or “authorised” fuels or use an appliance that has been granted an exemption by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra). Exempt appliances must only be used with the specific fuels approved for them. 

Examples of exempt appliances include many modern eco-design or ClearSkies‑certified wood‑burning stoves. Open fireplaces and older stoves are not exempt, and it is illegal to burn anything other than an authorised smokeless fuel in them. 

Fuels allowed in an open fireplace are:

Fuels NOT allowed in an open fireplace are:

  • wood - except in exempt appliances that list wood as their permitted fuel
  • house coal

Even if a “smokeless” or “authorised” fuel is used, or a Defra exempt appliance is used, it is still an offence to emit smoke from a chimney and this can lead to a fine of up to £300.

 

The penalty for breaking the smoke control area rules by obtaining unauthorised fuels to use in a non-exempt appliance is a fine of up to £1,000.

 

 

Burning wood and other solid fuels always produces harmful air pollution, even when no smoke is visible. The most effective way to improve local air quality and protect everyone’s health is to avoid burning solid fuels at home whenever cleaner alternatives such as electric or gas heating are available. 

Why do these rules exist?

Air pollution in Lewisham is above the World Health Organization’s guideline levels. Burning wood, coal or other solid fuels at home releases fine particulate matter (PM2.5), a pollutant classified by the WHO as a carcinogen. PM2.5 can contribute to asthma, heart disease and other serious illnesses, and can also worsen symptoms for people with existing conditions. 

Domestic wood burning is responsible for around 17% of London’s PM2.5 pollution, and current evidence shows there is no safe level of exposure to this pollutant.

 

For more information, visit the London Woodburning website.

For advice regarding cost-of-living support, please look at the resources. If you cannot access the online resources call 020 8314 6000 or call Citizens Advice on 0800 144 8848.

 

If you see smoke coming from a chimney in Lewisham, please report this on the Lewisham Council website.

Bonfires within Lewisham

Lewisham actively discourages all bonfires within the borough. If you have waste you need to dispose of, you can do so through the Council recycling sites. Look at our rubbish and recycling pages for advice on how to dispose of waste in other ways.

Reporting a bonfire to the Council

Any bonfire that causes a nuisance or is considered antisocial behaviour should be reported to the Safer Communities Service using the online form, on Noise and other disturbances we investigate page. Please provide your details and the address of the property so we can investigate. 

If a nuisance emanates from industrial, trade, or business premises, a fixed penalty notice (FPN) may be issued to members of the public for a fee of £400. In the case of a nuisance at private premises, an FPN may be issued for a fee of £150. 

 

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, creating a statutory nuisance is an offence. If a bonfire meets the evidential threshold for a statutory nuisance, those responsible will be issued with an abatement notice. 

 

It is important to comply with an abatement notice. Failure to do so may result in a fixed penalty notice or legal action.

 

For nuisances from industrial, trade or business premises, a fixed penalty notice of £400 may be issued. For nuisances from private homes, the penalty is £150.