Find out the home heating rules for Ashburton and the types of heating you can use in your home.
Ashburton Clean Air Zone 1 - Homes with an open fire
Open fires
The use of open fires in Ashburton without a resource consent has been banned as of May 2001.
Enclosed Burners
The used of enclosed burners installed before 1 january 2001 which do not meet the current emission standards, are banned as of may 2011 unless you have been granted a resource consent.
The use of all other enclosed burners will be banned from the 15 year anniversary of their first installation.
Find out how old your burner is at http://tools.ecan.govt.nz/WoodburnerAge/
Replacement Heating Options
No resource consent necessary:
Resource consent necessary:
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 Ashburton District Council.
Ashburton Clean Air Zone 1 - Homes without an open fire or an enclosed burner
Open fire
An open fire cannot be installed in a new dwelling within Ashburton Clean Air Zone 1 without a resource consent.
Enclosed Burner
You can install an enclosed burner listed on our approved burners list.
Replacement Heating Options
No resource consent necessary:
Resource consent necessary:
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 Ashburton District Council.
Ashburton Clean Air Zone 2
Presently there are no rules banning existing open fires, wood burners or other solid fuel burners in Ashburton Clean Air Zone 2.
However you may only use dry wood with a moisture content of less than 25% or paper and cardboard.
Replacement Heating Options
No resource consent necessary:
- Heat pump
- Nightstore heater
- Fixed-flued gas or liquid fuel (including oil and diesel) heater.
- Low-emission burner approved by Enironment Canterbury as listedon our approved burners list
- Pellet fire approved by Enironment Canterbury as listed on our approved burners list
Resource consent necessary:
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 Ashburton 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) and its proposed Variations as they are currently applied by Environment Canterbury and the of National Environmental Standards for Air Quality. You should refer to the actual National Environmental Standards and to Chapter 3 of the Natural Resources Regional Plan directly before taking any action or making any decisions on any matters covered here.
- To be approved by the Ministry for the Environment, a burner would need to meet the emission criteria of 1.5 g/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.