Smoke control areas

Under the Clean Air Act, some Local Authorities may declare part of the district to be a smoke control area.

It is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of a building, from a furnace or from any fixed boiler if located in a designated smoke control area.

It is also an offence to acquire an “unauthorised fuel” for use within a smoke control area unless it is used in an “exempt” appliance (“exempted” from the controls which generally apply in the smoke control area).

The current maximum level of fine is £1,000 for each offence.

Roads in Wirral that are not in a smoke control area

  • All of Raby Mere (west of Dibbinsdale Brook)
  • All of Thornton Hough
  • All roads south of Brimstage Road, Spital and west of Poulton Road, Poulton
  • Benty Heath Lane (to Wirral boundary)
  • Brimstage Lane
  • Brimstage Road (east of Heswall Hills Station and west of Clatterbridge roundabout)
  • Clatterbridge Road
  • Greenbank, Brimstage
  • Hargrave Lane
  • Keepers Lane
  • Landican Lane, Storeton
  • Lever Causeway
  • Little Storeton Lane
  • Manor Road, Thornton Hough
  • Marsh Lane
  • Mount Road, Clatterbridge
  • Neston Road
  • Parkgate Lane
  • Poulton Hall Road
  • Raby Hall Road
  • Raby Mere Road
  • Redhill Road
  • Resthill Road
  • Station Road, Storeton
  • Talbot Avenue, Brimstage
  • Thornton Common Road
  • Whitehouse Lane (east of railway track)
  • Willaston Road (to Wirral boundary)
  • Willow Lane
  • Willowbrow Road (to Wirral boundary)

If your house is in a smoke control area you must :

  • only burn authorised fuels such as 'Coalite'
  • use a grate in the fireplace that is suitable for burning smokeless fuel, or
  • use an exempted appliance as defined by regulations - a list of which can be viewed at the UK Smoke Control website

You must NOT :

  • burn ordinary coal or wood (other than kindling to light a fire) in your open fireplace
  • burn waste paper and wood with smokeless fuel
  • Smoke should not be emitted from a CHIMNEY in a smoke control area but you can have a garden bonfire as long as it does not cause a nuisance to your neighbours - see Bonfire information for advice.