Bonfires and Environmental Health
While there are no laws against having a domestic bonfire, there are laws about causing a nuisance. The smoke or the smell of smoke from bonfires can cause a statutory nuisance. At this current time residents across the boroughs are being asked to think of others and to not light bonfires during the current Coronavirus pandemic lockdown.
A lot of people at home are vulnerable and any one of your neighbours might have respiratory issues or even be fighting the Coronavirus itself. During this difficult time please put their needs first.
You can stockpile green waste or simply let the job wait until the civic amenity sites re-open to the public. Bonfires can also become out of control or cause accidents, creating extra pressure on the already busy emergency services.
We would urge you to consider alternative means of disposal of waste as burning in close proximity to other properties is always a potential source of nuisance. If we receive justified complaints we will have to consider taking formal action under the Environmental protection Act 1990. If sufficient evidence is gathered and the Council is satisfied that a Statutory Nuisance exists then an enforcement notice may be served to prohibit the recurrence of the nuisance. A breach of this notice may result in a maximum fine of £5000.
To report an incident of a bonfire please use our Service Request form here:
https://publicprotectionpartnership.org.uk/make-a-service-request/
Updated 15 April 2020.
