KHAN SEEKS NEW POWERS OVER LONDON WOOD BURNING — BUT INDUSTRY WARNS AGAINST PENALISING COMPLIANT HOMES
LONDON WOOD BURNER CRACKDOWN? INDUSTRY CHIEF SAYS ‘NO BAN EXISTS’ AS MAYOR SEEKS TOUGHER POWERS
London’s attempt to secure additional powers over solid-fuel burning has reopened the debate over domestic wood burners, with industry certification body HETAS arguing that better enforcement of existing rules could achieve more than imposing further restrictions on compliant households.
London’s wood-burning debate is intensifying after the Mayor of London formally sought additional powers from central government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to go further in tackling solid-fuel burning in the capital.
But HETAS, the independent not-for-profit certification organisation for the solid-fuel and heating sector, has warned against interpreting the move as an immediate ban on domestic wood burners.
Barry Cope, Chief Executive of HETAS, said existing rules remain unchanged and argued that enforcement — rather than another layer of restrictions — should be the priority.
“Reports suggesting a ban on wood burners in London risk creating unnecessary confusion for consumers,” Cope said.
“It is important to stress that no ban exists, no new regulations have been introduced, and the rules for stove owners today remain exactly the same as they were last winter.”
MAYOR SEEKS GREATER POWERS
The intervention follows the Mayor’s formal submission seeking additional powers to strengthen London’s response to solid-fuel burning.
The request itself does not amount to a change in the law, according to the information supplied by HETAS, and any further restrictions would require government action.
“The Mayor of London has reportedly asked Government for additional powers, but no decisions have been made and no new restrictions have been approved,” Cope said.
The disagreement therefore concerns not only what London’s rules should ultimately become, but how existing regulations are being enforced.
London is already subject to smoke control area restrictions governing the use of solid fuels and appliances.
HETAS argues that owners using approved appliances and appropriate fuels can continue operating within those regulations.
ENFORCEMENT OR MORE REGULATION?
Cope said the organisation supports effective enforcement of existing air-quality rules but questioned whether additional area-based restrictions are the most effective answer.
“We agree that effective enforcement of existing regulations is important,” he said.
“London is already covered by longstanding smoke control area rules, and responsible stove owners can continue to use approved appliances and the correct fuels within those regulations.”
HETAS also pointed to Defra’s position last year that there were no plans at that time to ban domestic burning by area or alter smoke control area rules restricting the use of solid-fuel appliances.
That does not determine what ministers might decide following London’s latest request, but it provides important context for households concerned that a ban has already been introduced.
Cope argued that local-authority enforcement capacity represents a more immediate problem.
“The challenge is ensuring existing rules are understood and enforced, rather than introducing measures that risk penalising households that have already invested in cleaner, compliant appliances while putting pressure on councils that are already stretched too thin.”
He added: “The Mayor is right, there are constraints in funding, powers and capacity which is a real problem. There are already rules in place to improve the air we breathe but a lack of enforcement from councils makes them considerably weaker.”
THE CASE FOR REPLACING OLDER STOVES
HETAS’s preferred approach is to accelerate the transition away from older, higher-emitting appliances and open fires while encouraging correct use of newer equipment.
The organisation says modern Ecodesign stoves operated correctly with dry, certified fuel produce significantly lower emissions than older stoves and open fires.
That is an industry position within a broader policy debate over the contribution of domestic solid-fuel burning to urban air pollution.
“Rather than pursuing area-based restrictions on approved appliances, we believe greater progress can be made by encouraging the replacement of older, higher-emitting appliances and open fires, promoting best burning practices, and helping consumers make informed choices that support both cleaner air and efficient home heating,” Cope said.
For London households, the immediate distinction is important: a request for greater powers is not itself a new prohibition.
But the Mayor’s intervention signals that the future regulation of solid-fuel burning in the capital remains firmly on the political agenda — and the argument is now turning to whether London’s next step should be tougher rules or tougher enforcement of those it already has.
