Residents and businesses in the village are being invited to share our views on a proposal to expand an existing ‘Smoke Control Area’ to cover all of Rushcliffe.
Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) is considering revoking its existing Smoke Control Order in West Bridgford and Edwalton and replacing it with a single Smoke Control Order, covering the whole of the Borough, including Ruddington.
The authority says its proposed plan is in line with the government’s air quality strategy which seeks to reduce levels of very fine particulates. This is with the aim of further protecting the health of all residents through reducing the smoke that can be released from domestic and commercial chimneys.
In a Smoke Control Area it is an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of a building. Correctly seasoned wood, timber or logs should only be burnt in a Defra approved appliance. Authorised fuels such as ‘smokeless’ fuels must be used in any other appliances that are not Defra approved.
Under ‘The Environment Act 2021’, anyone liable can face a financial penalty of between £175 and £300 for each occasion smoke is emitted. Those found to be selling or buying unauthorised fuel for use without an approved appliance in a Smoke Control Area could also face fines of up to £1,000.
Thankfully for Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre, the proposed new rules for Ruddington would not apply to smoke from steam trains, road steam vehicles (such as traction engines), steam-rollers or steam-powered cars and lorries. Nor do they include barbecues, chimineas and pizza ovens which are outside and not in a building.
Details of the changes to Smoke Control Area legislation can be found on the Defra website >>HERE<<.
RBC’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Cllr Rob Inglis says: “Residents, businesses and stakeholders can now have their say on our smoke control area plans which could cover all of Rushcliffe in our consultation. The quality of life of our residents is a key priority and we want to hear people’s thoughts on these proposals. Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK and domestic burning is a major contributor.”
He adds: “This pollutant has also been identified by the World Health Organization as the most damaging to human health, especially in vulnerable groups of people such as the young, elderly and those with respiratory problems. Improving air quality is a vital goal and we are exploring expanding our existing Smoke Control Area to cover the entire Borough to help reduce emissions and air pollution from domestic and commercial chimneys.”
Ruddington resident Tahmina Tinsley is very much in favour of RBC’s proposal. “I think it’s actually desperately needed” she says. “The level of smoke in the village is at times now really quite overwhelming especially for anyone with asthma not to mention the damage it is doing to young children’s lungs. If you can smell woodsmoke essentially you are breathing in pollution that is hazardous to your health and it’s important to realise that even the newest Defra approved stoves produce hundreds of times more particle pollution (PM2.5) than a gas boiler, with open fires producing thousands of times more. These PM2.5 particles contribute to diseases like cancer and dementia, cardiovascular issues, miscarriage and asthma.”
Keith Oliver is not so sure, commenting: “The irony is that Rushcliffe now has the only coal burning power station in the country which RBC have given permission to be replaced with a waste burning plant – but I can’t put a log on my open fire!”
What do YOU think? We have until Tuesday March 12th to submit our views in the public consultation, which is available online at www.rushcliffe.gov.uk/smokecontrolsurvey.
