Chimneys

Chimneys

Although open fires are now less common, chimneys remain a significant part of the design of many Letchworth houses. They are often structurally important, and give visual strength and a lively silhouette to the overall external appearance of the house.Chimneys which are no longer used for open fires may be suitable for adapting for central heating flues or to house unsightly plumbing pipework. Demolishing or reinstating chimney stacks can be expensive. If you retain and look after your existing ones, you will keep your options open, particularly if fires come back into more general use. You may qualify for a grant towards the cost of repairs to, or rebuilding of, chimneys and you should ask about this.

The removal of any chimney requires consent from the Heritage Foundation, and if your house is a Listed Building the consent of the Council will also be required. In either case, consent for demolition is unlikely to be given where the stack is an important feature of the building's character.