This page states the home heating rules for properties smaller than 2 ha and for properties 2 ha and greater in urban areas in Canterbury. These properties fall outside of the Christchurch Clean Air Zones and the Kaiapoi, Rangiora and Ashburton Clean Air Zones 1.
Existing heating
Currently 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's Christchurch and Timaru offices (all year), the Ashburton and Waimakariri District Councils and the Kaiapoi Service Centre (winter only).
Other heating options
No resource consent necessary:
- Heat pump
- Nightstore heater
- Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater
- Low-emission woodburner or pellet fire approved on our approved burners list.
Resource consent necessary:
- Any new pellet fire not on our approved burners list.
- Any new multi-fuel burner
- Any new coal burner
- Any new open fire
- Any new cooker using wood or coal.
You cannot install:
Clean Heat Project
If you live in the Ashburton or Timaru Clean Heat Zone and 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 an interest-free loan for an approved clean heat appliance and insulation through the Clean Heat Project. Conditions apply.
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 or your local district council.
More 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.
Please note, an urban area is defined as an area that is a city, town, village, residential area or collection of workplaces and is specified in an operative district planning map as a residential, living commercial, business or industrial zone, or a zone of a similar effect.