Waltham Forest Council is planning to consolidate its existing Smoke Control Orders (SCOs) into a single, borough-wide Smoke Control Area (SCA) by December 2025. The move aims to improve air quality, simplify enforcement, and increase public awareness of smoke control regulations.
The decision, which is expected to be submitted to full Council in December 2025, follows a report presented to the Climate Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday, 12 November 2025. The proposal has been submitted to the Strategic Leadership Team (SLT) and informal Cabinet, according to the Air Quality Update report.
The report highlighted that the current fragmented system of 30 historical SCOs, some dating back to the 1960s, is becoming increasingly difficult to enforce due to outdated and inaccurate boundary descriptions. The council's existing SCO documentation does not include any maps, and the boundaries of each SCO area can only be determined based on the description provided in the Schedules. The Schedules use features such as railways and canals, as well as roads, to describe the boundaries. As there have been significant changes in the borough since the date of their creation some 50 to 60 years ago, particularly with new developments changing road layouts, the descriptions are becoming less accurate and reliable over time.
Under the new borough-wide SCA, the regulations regarding permitted fuels and appliances will remain consistent with current standards. In Smoke Control Areas (SCAs) it is only legal to burn certain smokeless
or authorised
fuels or to use an appliance that has been granted an exemption by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). An 'exempt' appliance must only be used with the type of fuel permitted by DEFRA for that appliance. Even if 'authorised' fuels or 'exempt' appliances are used, it is still an offence to emit smoke from a chimney of a building or from a furnace or any fixed boiler in an SCA.
The new borough-wide SCO will also include moored vessels for the first time, in line with amendments to the Clean Air Act 1993 made by the provisions of the Environment Act 2021.
In April 2025, the council adopted and published a Smoke Control Order Enforcement Policy, outlining how it will enforce the current smoke control rules. The policy sets a maximum penalty of £300 for those responsible for smoke emissions. According to the Air Quality Update report, when an offence is established, the Council will normally impose the maximum penalty. A lower penalty of £175 may be imposed if the person responsible demonstrates strong mitigating factors relevant to the evidenced smoke emission.
The move to unify the Smoke Control Area is part of Waltham Forest Council's broader efforts to improve air quality and reduce PM2.5 emissions, particularly from residential and commercial properties. Air pollution is recognised as the biggest environmental threat to human health, contributing to premature death and disease.
