'Blanket' smoke control order takes effect next month

All geographical areas governed by Wirral Council will be covered by one single Smoke Control Order from August 1st 2025.

The legal process to revoke existing legal orders - 26 of them in total, introduced area by area at various times over the last 65 years - started more than a year ago and is culminating in the introduction of the ‘Wirral Borough Council Smoke Control Order 2024’ from the start of next month.

In reality, most residents will not notice any difference as they have been covered by one of the existing orders. However, replacing those 26 separate orders with a single Smoke Control Order for the borough has two distinct benefits.

Firstly, it means smoke controls will now be implemented in the only areas of the borough that weren’t previously subject to restrictions. This includes areas such as Brimstage, Storeton, Thornton Hough and Raby.

Replacing 26 orders with a single one also standardises legal requirements across the whole borough, which will enable officers to undertake more effective enforcement action, deliver consistent health messaging and ensure that only approved fuels and exempted appliances are used. This will improve air quality across Wirral and reduce pollutants such as particulate matter (PM) that are damaging to people’s health.

In a smoke control area people cannot release smoke from a chimney. They must only burn authorised fuel, unless they are using an approved appliance – also known as an ‘exempt appliance’ or ‘Defra-approved appliance. 

Authorised fuels include any ‘smokeless’ fuels such as anthracite, semi-anthracite, gas or low volatile steam coal.

Unauthorised fuels, such as wood, can only be burned in exempt appliances such as some boilers, cookers and stoves and people should only use the types of fuel that the manufacturer says can be used in the appliance.

Outdoor barbecues, chimineas, fireplaces or pizza ovens are all unaffected by smoke control orders. Garden bonfires in smoke control areas are also allowed as long as people follow the rules on bonfires.

In England, people may have to pay a penalty of up to £300 if their chimney releases smoke in a smoke control area and they can be fined up to £1,000 if they buy unauthorised fuel to use in an appliance that’s not approved by Defra.

For more information visit the Smoke Control section of the Wirral Council website.