Published: Tuesday 26th September 2023 | 4.47pm
Cannock Chase Council’s Cabinet has approved plans to introduce a district-wide Smoke Control Order.
Smoke Control Orders create Smoke Control Areas, where there’s a limit on how much smoke can be released from the chimney of any building, either domestic or commercial/industrial. A building means any structure with a roof and walls. This includes wooden domestic structures such as sheds and summerhouses.
Between 1988 and 1998, the Council made 15 Smoke Control Orders. In total, these cover the entire district. However, many of the defined boundaries no longer exist or are otherwise unclear. The proposed new Smoke Control Order will remedy these issues, as the entire district of Cannock Chase will be covered by one Order.
The Order will, for the first time, bring moored narrowboats within scope for smoke control but does not impose any new or additional requirements in respect of fuels burned or appliances used in domestic households, commercial or industrial buildings.
Councillor Andrea Muckley, Portfolio Leader for Environment and Climate Change said:
“We know households burning coal or wood in closed stoves or using log burners and open fires are a major source of particulate matter in the district.
"This council has declared a climate emergency and the updating of our smoke controls will help towards making the air our residents breath cleaner as well as helping us towards our ambition of making our district more environmentally friendly.”
Photograph:
Councillor Andrea Muckley, Portfolio Leader for Environment and Climate Change.