Do You Need Planning Permission to Remove a Chimney?

Two separate questions

People tend to ask one question about removing a chimney, but there are really two. Planning permission is about how the building looks and whether the change is acceptable in its setting. Building Regulations are about whether the work is safe and sound. A project can need one, both or neither. Getting them confused is the main reason owners start work without a permission they needed, or apply for one they did not.

We are roofers, not planners, so this page sets out the general picture and points you to the right people. The council's planning team has the final say on planning, and your building control body, which may be the council or a private registered approver, handles Building Regulations.

Planning permission

For most houses in England, taking a chimney stack down to roof level is not treated as a development needing planning permission. The rules change in particular settings, so look at each of these before you start.

• Listed buildings: altering or removing a chimney is likely to need listed building consent, because chimneys are often part of the character of the building and its protection.
• Conservation areas: the council may have extra controls, and stacks that contribute to the street scene can matter. Some areas have restrictions on changes visible from the road.
• Article 4 directions: some councils remove permitted rights in specific areas, which can make otherwise routine work need permission.
• Flats and maisonettes: the rights that houses have do not always apply, and shared ownership and leases may require consent from a freeholder.
• Conditions on an earlier permission: a planning condition may restrict changes to the original appearance of the building.

The simplest way to find out is to ask. Your council's planning team can tell you whether your address is in a conservation area or subject to an Article 4 direction, and whether anything else applies. You can read general guidance on the Planning Portal. Basingstoke and the surrounding towns are covered by several different councils, so make sure you contact the one for your address.

Building Regulations

Removing a chimney stack changes the weight and the support of the structure, and the roof around it has to be made good. The work touches structure, weatherproofing and sometimes fire safety, so building control approval is the norm. The requirement most often relevant is Approved Document A, which covers structure. If the chimney breast inside is also coming out, as discussed in our page on removing a chimney breast and keeping the stack, the supporting structure usually needs engineering input.

The roof must be made weathertight where the stack came out. That means rafters trimmed and supported, new battens and underlay, tiles or slates matched, and the old flue ends sealed or ventilated. Where work affects enough of the roof, other requirements such as insulation may come into play. Your building control body confirms what applies, and we handle that side where the roofing part is notifiable.

Neighbours and shared stacks

In terraced and semi-detached houses, the chimney stack often sits on the party wall and serves both properties. Taking it down affects the neighbour's side as well, and a conversation with them is necessary before anything is done. Matters such as support, weatherproofing and the cost of repairs on both sides need agreeing, and you should take advice on party wall issues before starting. The practical points are set out under shared chimney stack repairs.

How we approach a removal

We start with the survey. You receive photographs of the stack, flashings and roof, and we say honestly whether the stack should come down or be repaired instead. Where removal is the answer, we explain how the roof will be made good, where the flues will end, and what paperwork is needed. Our page on chimney stack removal sets out the method. If the decision is open, the guide to whether to remove an unused chimney sets out the pros and cons.

Keep in mind that taking a stack down is permanent. A chimney that is a nuisance can often be repaired and capped for less than removal and reinstatement of the roof, and a stack that adds to a period house may be worth keeping for the look of the property and its value. We give you a fixed written price for whichever you choose. Published UK guides price chimney repair from £500 up to £2,000, and removal quotes depend on height, access and the roof repair needed, so the figure for yours follows the survey. For the whole range of services, go to chimney repairs in Basingstoke.