Another threat to self reliance in the home

[Brambles]

I may be wrong but was told that in Scotland our local planning office will not allow open fires without special extra planning permission on new build homes. Log stoves are ok though but one wonders for how much longer. It seems that every year they invent new rules all of which require permit fees and a fortune spent on "expert" advice to get them. The latest is the tax bill we've just been hit with for shooting rights on our land. We pointed out that we don't shoot on our land as it grass fields with no trees or hedges and there is no game. Doesn't seem to matter we have the land and if a pheasant should stray onto it we can shoot it, in season of course, and it'll only have cost us a few hundred quid to do so, assuming we have a gun and the almost impossible licence to own it.

I would go and see a solicitor or tax expert. Apparently HMRC are having a go at any and all landowners regarding shooting rights and have had to back down on quite a few bills so get some advice before you pay it.

[jansman]

But, but, but!!! there is RHI. The governments renewable heating incentive. One of the acceptable systems is pellet stoves. Imagine that?!? Well think on this... Soon you may not be able to burn gash free wood you or someone else has wombled, BUT you will be able to burn the same gash free wood once it's been pelletised, bagged and made ready for sale. Yep. As long as you have to buy it and pay VAT on it and they can control it, you're alright.

https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental- ... ng-systems

Cynical? me?

Ha ha! Also,a lot of the pellets are made of wood imported from North America! Work that one out. The stoves they burn in often have an electric powered fan too! Bonkers that it is considered eco- friendly.And I cringe when the ' experts' talk about "Biomass". It was once a tree ,or something that grew.I call it wood!

[Arwen Thebard]

Ditto what Plymton said about the ease of getting a firearms licence, there are one or two hoops to get through but nothing too extreme and well worth the effort in the end.

Re wood burning stoves / open fires, our largest housing association in Suffolk have bricked up (or are in the process of doing so) all the open fireplaces in their properties every chance they get, saying its to do with insurance concerns and meeting their CO2 emissions targets. Some people are left relying on just electric heating or oil as there is no gas in most of the villages around here.

[jansman]

I suspect that insurance is the major concern there Arwen.

[nickdutch]

I dont think its all that enforceable, but also you have to think about the possibility of supplemental ethanol fireplaces for when you arent doing the whole loggy-woody-coaly thingy. So maybe just a question of variety.

[Brambles]

The Clean Air Act of 1956 states otherwise Nick.

The Clean Air Act 1956 was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom passed in response to London's Great Smog of 1952. It was in effect until 1964, and sponsored by the Ministry of Housing and Local Government in England and the Department of Health for Scotland.

The Act introduced a number of measures to reduce air pollution, especially by introducing "smoke control areas" in some towns and cities in which only smokeless fuels could be burned. By shifting homes' sources of heat towards cleaner coals, electricity, and gas, it reduced the amount of smoke pollution and sulphur dioxide from household fires. Reinforcing these changes, the Act also included measures to relocate power stations away from cities, and for the height of some chimneys to be increased.

The Act was an important milestone in the development of a legal framework to protect the environment.

[junmist]

My Dad always said that they will tax oxygen next

[Britcit]

My Dad always said that they will tax oxygen next

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

[ukpreppergrrl]

My Dad always said that they will tax oxygen next

I wouldn't hold my breath if I were you.

Exactly! Breathe now while it still costs you nowt!

[preppergb]

Cleaner air in our cities Hmmmm, when I read of the anti diesel campaign in London all the extra tariffs etc I wrote to my MP and asked him " If the air is so toxic in London caused by particulates and other unburnt elements in fuel could you please tell my why London Heathrow is going to be allowed to increase the numbers of low flying jumbo jets over London from 500,000 a year to 749,000 flights a year with another 29,000 being allowed at London city airport. The amount of unburnt avgas and particulates from aircraft runs into hundreds of thousands of tons a year straight into the atmosphere where it reacts with sunlight and becomes even more toxic. " Never got a sensible reply from him.