Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 - Homes with an open fire

Existing heating

The use of an open fire is banned from 1 April to 30 September. This rule is now beyond legal challenge and will not change, however enforcement of the rule will begin 1 April 2010.
Outside this winter period you can use an open fire or old woodburner providing you use dry wood with a moisture content of less than 25%, paper and cardboard. You can get the moisture content of firewood tested for free at Environment Canterbury.

Replacement heating
No resource consent necessary:

• Heat pump
• Nightstore heater
• Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.
• Low-emission burner or pellet fire approved by Environment Canterbury as listed on our approved burners list.

Resource consent necessary:

• Any burner or pellet fire not approved by Environment Canterbury
• Open fire
• Any new cooker using wood or coal.

Clean Heat Project
If you use an open fire as your main form of heating in your main living area, you may qualify for subsidies and assistance for replacement heating and insulation through the Clean Heat Project.

Building consent
Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will need a building consent from the Christchurch City Council.
 
Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 - Homes with a solid fuel burner
Existing heating
A ban on the winter use of old woodburners (15 years and older) will come into effect from 1 April 2010.  This rule is beyond legal challenge and will apply from 1 April to 30 September from 2010 onwards.

Outside this winter period, you can use an open fire or old woodburner providing you use dry wood with a moisture content of less than 25%, paper and cardboard. You can get the moisture content of firewood tested for free at Environment Canterbury.

Replacement heating

No resource consent necessary:

• Heat pump
• Nightstore heater
• Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.
• Low-emission burner or pellet fire approved by Environment Canterbury as listed on our approved burners list.

Resource consent necessary:

• Any burner or pellet fire not approved by Environment Canterbury 
• Any new cooker that uses wood or coal.

You cannot install:

• An open fire
• Any non-compliant woodburner.

Clean Heat Project
If you use a woodburner or other solid fuel burner as your main form of heating in your main living area, you may qualify for subsidies and assistance for replacement heating and insulation through the Clean Heat Project. 
 
Building consent
Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will also need a building consent from the Christchurch City Council to ensure it is installed properly.

Christchurch Clean Air Zone 1 - Homes without an open fire, woodburner or other solid fuel burner (including new homes)

Heating Options
No resource consent necessary:

• Heat pump
• Nightstore heater
• Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.

Resource consent necessary:

• Any pellet fire.

You cannot install:

• Open fire
• Any new woodburner.

Clean Heat Project
You do not qualify for subsidies or assistance from the Clean Heat Project.

Building consent
Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will need a building consent from the Christchurch City Council.
 
Christchurch Clean Air Zone 2 - Homes with an open fire, woodburner or other solid fuel burner

Existing heating
Presently there are no rules banning existing open fires, woodburners or other solid fuel burners.

You are only allowed to use dry wood with a moisture content of less than 25%, paper and cardboard. You can get the moisture content of firewood tested for free at Environment Canterbury.

Other heating options
No resource consent necessary:

• Heat pump
• Nightstore heater
• Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.
• Low-emission burner or pellet fire approved by Environment Canterbury as listed on our approved burners list.

Resource consent necessary:

• Any new burner or pellet fire not approved by Environment Canterbury
• Any new open fire
• Any new cooker using wood or coal.

Clean Heat Project
If you use an open fire, woodburner or other solid fuel burner as your main form of heating in your main living area, you may qualify for subsidies and assistance for replacement heating and insulation through the Clean Heat Project.

Building consent
Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will need a building consent from the Christchurch City Council.

Christchurch Clean Air Zone 2 - Homes without an open fire, woodburner or other solid fuel burner (including new homes)

Heating options
No resource consent necessary:

• Heat pump
• Nightstore heater
• Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater
• Low-emission burner or pellet fire approved by Environment Canterbury on our approved burners list.

Resource consent necessary:

• Any new burner or pellet fire not approved by Environment Canterbury
• Any new open fire
• Any new cooker using wood or coal.

Clean Heat Project
You do not qualify for subsidies or assistance from the Clean Heat Project.
 
Building consent

Most burners with a flue, such as all woodburners and pellet fires (but not flued gas heaters), will need a building consent from the Christchurch City Council.

Further information
Please contact our Customer Services team if you have further questions.
 
 
Disclaimer
This is a summary of the rules in the Air Plan (Canterbury Natural Resources Regional Plan - Chapter 3: Air Quality) as they are currently applied by Environment Canterbury and the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality and is intended as a guide only. You should refer to the Standards and the Operative Regional Plan directly and satisfy yourself as to their provisions before taking any action or making any decisions on any matters covered here.
To be approved by Environment Canterbury, a burner would need to meet the emission criteria of 1g/kg or less and 65% space heating efficiency or better.
A resource consent can be expensive and there is no guarantee it will be granted.