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The Stove Industry Association (SIA) is urging the Scottish government to reverse legislation that has seen a ban on wood burning stoves in new build properties and reconsider proposed plans that would also see them banned in existing homes.
The New Build Heat Standard prevents the use of “direct emission heating systems” in new buildings warranted from 1stApril 2024, the definition of which includes wood burning stoves.
The proposed Heat In Buildings Bill seeks to prohibit the use of “polluting heating systems” in existing properties by 2045, with a planned “pathway to 2045” that will require those purchasing a home to remove a stove from a property within two years of completing the sale.
Commenting on the legislation Andy Hill, Chair of the SIA, commented:
“It is completely non-sensical that legislation prefaced on carbon reduction should prohibit the use of the very technology (modern stoves) that utilises the lowest carbon emission heating fuel (wood). The new Standard and the proposed new Bill leaves households across Scotland extremely vulnerable to total heat loss in the event of a power cut, and further marginalises the 31%1 of Scottish residents that live in fuel poverty by severely restricting the choices they have on how to keep their homes and their families warm.”
“We also have serious concerns as to why the stove industry has been left out of the consultation loop for the new legislation and completely overlooked in the impact assessments that are required before legislation is passed. Our members are already reporting severe financial impacts on their businesses, and we implore Scottish government to consider that the individual livelihoods of the estimated 2,000 people employed in the Scottish stove sector, and the £60 million it contributes annually to the Scottish economy, are also at risk.”
The SIA has directly petitioned Scottish parliament to protect the people of Scotland’s right to use a wood burning stove to heat their homes and will be providing further updates on the actions it is taking and resources available to policy makers, the public and the stove industry in Scotland via a dedicated page on its website that can be found here: stoveindustryassociation.org/new-build-heat-standard-scotland/
1 Source: fuelpovertypanel.scot
