Clean Air Act approval

On 1 April the single new council for North Yorkshire launched replacing Scarborough Borough Council and other local authorites in North Yorkshire.

To find your Councillor or to view minutes, meetings and agendas please visit the North Yorkshire Council website.

The Clean Air Act 1993, introduced a wide range of new regulations such as those which control smoke emissions and the height of chimneys and those relating to the content and composition of motor fuels. Under certain conditions we must approve chimney height.

Chimney height approval

Under section 14 of the Clean Air Act, unless the height of the chimney has been approved by us and any conditions attached to approval adhered to, it is an offence to cause or knowingly permit a furnace to be used to:

  • burn pulverised fuel
  • burn at a rate of 45.4 kg or more an hour any other solid matter or
  • burn at a rate equivalent to 366.4 kW or more any liquid or gaseous matter.

Applying for approval

An application for chimney height approval must contain adequate information to enable the necessary calculations to be carried out.

We must consider an application for approval for chimney height for a furnace and give a written decision within 28 days of receipt, unless it is agreed in writing between us and the applicant that a longer period is allowed.

If we fail to deal with the application within this time period, then approval without qualification is given.