Smoke Control and Wood Burning Stoves

Information and Regulations

There are a number of smoke control areas in Lincoln which effectively cover the whole city. These were declared between 1962 and 1989 under Clean Air legislation.

You can burn and emit smoke from a chimney within a Smoke Control area as long as you use authorised smokeless fuel. Or you can use solid fuel, such as wood, if you are using an exempt appliance. 

Exempt approved appliances are stoves, boilers, cookers and fires which have been listed under the Clean Air Act 1993. These appliances are constructed to burn fuels without emitting excessive smoke. To ensure that you are not committing an offence you should only burn the designated fuels in these appliances. You can check if your appliance is on the approved list on DEFRA's website.

If you do not use the correct smokeless fuel or an approved appliance you will be committing an offence.

If someone is burning the incorrect fuel or you are being affected by someone burning solid fuel, you can report an incident of anti-social behaviour online using the link below:

Report anti-social behaviour

Contact the PPASB Team

Address: Public Protection & Anti-Social Behaviour Team
City Hall
Beaumont Fee
Lincoln
LN1 1DD

Telephone: 01522 873378