Most of the densely populated parts of Wirral have been declared a smoke control area. The areas covered in this are highlighted on a map of controlled areas.
PDF files below may not be suitable to view for people with disabilities, users of assistive technology or mobile phone devices. PDF maps are more suitable to view on a large screen over a wifi connection.
It’s an offence to emit smoke from a chimney, a furnace or any fixed boiler if located in a designated smoke control area. Environmental Health can investigate complaints and offer advice about smoke nuisance from domestic or commercial bonfires and chimneys.
If your home is in this area you must:
- only burn authorised fuels, such as ‘Coalite’
- use a grate in the fireplace that’s suitable for burning smokeless fuel
- only use an exempted appliance
It’s an offence to:
- burn ordinary coal or wood (other than kindling to light a fire) in your open fireplace
- burn waste paper and wood with smokeless fuel
- emit smoke from a chimney (garden bonfires are permitted)
The current maximum level of fine is £1,000 for each offence.
Further guidance and advice on smoke control areas, is available from GOV.UK.
DEFRA produced a range of guidance leaflets with further information on open fires and wood burning stoves, smoke control areas and buying, storing and seasoning wood:
- Open fires and wood burning stoves leaflet (PDF, 276.38KB)
- Smoke control areas leaflet (241.05KB)
- Buying, storing and seasoning wood leaflet (PDF, 290.13KB)
Read advice and guidance about bonfires
Roads in Wirral that are not in a smoke control area:
- all of Raby Mere (west of Dibbinsdale Brook)
- all of Thornton Hough
- all roads south of Brimstage Road, Spital and west of Poulton Road, Poulton
- Benty Heath Lane (to Wirral boundary)
- Brimstage Lane
- Brimstage Road (east of Heswall Hills Station and west of Clatterbridge roundabout)
- Clatterbridge Road
- Greenbank, Brimstage
- Hargrave Lane
- Keepers Lane
- Landican Lane, Storeton
- Lever Causeway
- Little Storeton Lane
- Manor Road, Thornton Hough
- Marsh Lane
- Mount Road, Clatterbridge
- Neston Road
- Parkgate Lane
- Poulton Hall Road
- Raby Hall Road
- Raby Mere Road
- Redhill Road
- Resthill Road
- Station Road, Storeton
- Talbot Avenue, Brimstage
- Thornton Common Road
- Whitehouse Lane (east of railway track)
- Willaston Road (to Wirral boundary)
- Willow Lane
- Willowbrow Road (to Wirral boundary)
Revocation of existing smoke control areas and implementation of new smoke control area
The council is in the process of revoking 26 existing Smoke Control Orders and replacing them with one new Smoke Control Order, that covers the whole of Wirral.
The Tourism, Communities, Culture and Leisure committee considered the objection received regarding the implementation of the new Order, in their meeting on 23 January 2025. It was agreed that the process of implementation can continue.
DEFRA have confirmed the Revocation Order, which will come into effect on 1 August 2025.
The new Smoke Control Order has been made and will come into effect on 1 August 2025, making the whole borough a Smoke Control Area.
Maps of the existing smoke control area boundaries and the new whole borough smoke control area boundaries are available below, and commonly asked questions have also been provided.