It is an offence to emit persistent visible smoke from a building chimney in a Smoke control area.
Brighton & Hove City Council has statutory powers to control smoke from domestic and commercial sources. Clean Air Acts allow local authorities to designate Smoke Control Areas (SCA) which place legal restrictions on combustion and the use of certain appliances and fuels. The restrictions also apply to the sale of fuels in or adjacent to a SCA.
Brighton & Hove has 5 SCAs covering much of the Hanover, Lewes Road, Bevendean and the city centre areas. There are no Smoke Control Areas in Hove.
View an interactive map of the Brighton smoke control areas.
Suppliers must show manufacturer certification that the appliances they're selling are on the Government’s exempt appliance list for lawful use in the SCA. Operators must have clear instructions that the fuel:
Manufacturers risk prosecution under the Environment Act if they sell uncertified fuels such as:
It's illegal to emit smoke from a building chimney in an SCA. Residents and commercial operators can be fined up to £300.
You can report an environmental nuisance. We'll review it and investigate it further if necessary.