If you wish to burn wood or coal in a smoke control area, you should make sure they can burn without smoke. The solid fuel burner you use must be an “Exempt Appliance” and you should only use “Authorised Fuel”. For more details, read the GOV UK smoke control area rules.

Most parts of Crawley are smoke control areas, apart from Maidenbower, southern Broadfield, western Bewbush and Ifield West. To see if you live in a smoke control area, contact the environmental health department.

Most parts of Crawley are smoke control areas, apart from Maidenbower, southern Broadfield, western Bewbush and parts of Ifield West. To see if you live in a smoke control area, you can check on the Defra interactive smoke control areas map or email environmentalservices@crawley.gov.uk.

Even if you don’t live in a smoke control area, solid fuel burning can cause a nuisance to neighbouring properties and may cause problems with local air quality.

Choosing what you burn and how you burn it can make a big difference to the pollution it creates.

For advice on the use of cleaner fuels and appliances that will help minimise the effect of solid fuel burning and benefit air quality by reducing the amount of particulate matter emitted, visit:

• Clean Burn Sussex-air
• Defra Open Fires and Wood-Burning Stoves Practical Guide
• Woodsure Ready to Burn