COUNCILLORS have agreed to ban wood-burning stoves in properties that belong to the local authority.
Angus Council said solid fuel appliances, including wood-burning stoves, “present a number of risks to health and safety such as fire hazards, carbon monoxide exposure, and poor indoor and outdoor air quality” at a housing committee meeting on Tuesday.
Councillors agreed to a new policy which will prohibit the installation and use of wood burners, stoves, open fires, and other open-flued appliances in homes owned by the local authority.
The policy will not apply to private homeowners.
Angus Council will no longer permit the installation or replacement of solid fuel heating systems in its properties, with each application considered on its merits.
Although the default position will be to refuse requests due to environmental and health risk, the local authority said an application may be considered under exceptional circumstances, where solid fuel may provide a significantly more cost-effective option than alternatives.
Angus Council’s Housing Committee convener, Councillor Jill Scott, said: “This policy is about ensuring clarity for our tenants in how the council will deal with requests regarding wood burners, stoves and open fires in council properties. It does not apply to private homeowners.
“While we understand the role of wood burners and open fires, our priority is to provide safe, efficient, and environmentally responsible heating for our tenants.”
However, following Angus Council’s decision, the Stove Industry Association (SIA) said the policy is “short-sighted” and risks overlooking the significant progress made in stove technology in recent years.
The association said that modern ecodesign compliant stoves reduce emissions by up to 90% compared with an open fire and up to 80% compared with older stoves.
It added that wood-burning stoves use an “abundant” local resource that is both “renewable and sustainable”.
A spokesperson said: “Removing stoves altogether takes away a valuable tool for household resilience, particularly as Scotland and the rest of the UK continues to face challenges around energy security and affordability.
“A more balanced approach would have been to support residents in using appliances correctly and to replace older stoves with modern, low-emission and high efficiency models, aligning with the Council’s environmental objectives while still protecting tenants’ wellbeing.
“We urge Angus Council – and other local authorities considering similar measures – to engage with the stove industry to ensure that future policies are based on the latest evidence and that residents are supported to make heating choices that are both environmentally responsible and practical.”
A tenant survey conducted by the council in January found that 65.5% of respondents felt the proposed policy could have a negative impact.
Among the concerns raised by council residents were fears over losing the choice to use alternative heating sources, along with worries about the affordability of alternative heating sources.
