Website maintenance

Due to essential maintenance some of our forms and interactive services such as waste and recycling, complaints, street cleansing, parking and planning will not be available from 8am on Saturday 9 November 2024 to Monday 11 November 2024. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Domestic biomass and solid fuel heating appliances

There are no Smoke Control Areas in our district.

If you are planning to install a wood burning stove or open fire please take time to read the following information.

There are two routes to legally install a domestic solid fuel, wood or biomass burning appliance. HETAS registered installers can self-certify that their work complies with the relevant building regulations and issue the customer with a certificate of compliance. A copy of the certificate is also sent to HETAS who will notify us on their behalf. Alternatively, if the installer is not HETAS registered you must apply to the Building Control department for a building notice, and pay the appropriate fee.

Some appliances are exempt in England when using the specified fuels and operated in accordance with the conditions. For further information on exempt appliances For further information on exempt appliances visit DEFRA's website.

The Woodsure Ready to Burn Certification Scheme

The purpose of the scheme is to help inform consumers about the importance of using clean, quality wood fuel to help reduce the impacts of domestic burning on the environment. Further information can be found in the leaflet below:

PDF document Woodsure Ready to Burn Certification Scheme leaflet(PDF) [265 kb]

Open fires and wood burning stoves

Open fires and wood-burning stoves have risen in popularity over recent years. This means we now see more smoke from chimneys which has a negative effect on air quality. This can cause breathing problems such as asthma attacks and contribute to other health conditions.

The leaflet below provides simple steps for those that use wood burning stoves or open fires to reduce environmental and health impacts.

It will also benefit you directly by:

  • maximising efficiency, meaning you burn less fuel
  • keeping chimneys in a better condition

Other useful guides on wood burning and open fires:

PDF document Open fires and wood burning stoves - a practical guide(PDF) [476 kb]

PDF document We all breathe the same air(PDF) [1009 kb]

Contact details

Environmental Health team

If you have an enquiry about environmental health, send a message to the Environmental Health team

Sign up for email updates

Receive information on council services, news and events by email.

© 2024 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council