Ban on wood-burning stoves in new homes scrapped

Wood-burning stoves will be permitted in new-build homes or conversions, the Scottish Government has confirmed.

Restrictions on their installation were dropped on a temporary basis in September and ministers have now clarified they will be removed altogether from January 1.

The Scottish Conservatives said the change is a “victory for common sense”.

Regulations known as the New Build Heat Standard came into effect from April, meaning new-build homes could not install sources of heating which directly produced emissions.

From January 1, new homes will be allowed to have bioenergy or peat as their main sources of heat, but the prohibition on mains gas and oil-fuelled boilers will be maintained.

Alasdair Allan, acting minister for climate action said: “The New Build Heat Standard is crucial to help reduce emissions from new buildings, preventing the need for retrofit in the future and ensuring a cleaner and greener Scotland.

“Heat from our homes and buildings makes up almost a fifth of Scotland’s carbon emissions so we must tackle the most polluting forms of domestic heating to reach net zero.

“We have listened to concerns from rural and island communities about resilience in times of bad weather or power outages, as well as the wider use of bioenergy and peat for other reasons.

“These changes address these concerns whilst retaining the spirit of the original legislation, which aims to eradicate polluting gas and oil boilers from new homes and buildings.”

Tory Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “This is a victory for common sense and for the Scottish Conservative-led campaign which opposed this ill-thought-out plan from the moment the SNP announced it.

“A ban on wood-burning stoves would have had a devastating effect on our rural and island communities.

“SNP ministers who are completely detached from the realities facing these areas failed to recognise their importance, especially in periods of extreme weather.

“I applaud people living and working in rural and island Scotland for making their voices heard and forcing the SNP into confirming this humiliating U-turn at long last.”