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Original poster

To have only just noticed the death of the chimney!

61 replies

Foxyloxymoxy · 08/09/2025 19:43

I was driving home and through an area full of new housing estates and I’ve only just noticed that there’s no chimneys. I don’t know why this has only hit me now as I live in a new build with no chimney 🤣🤣 but it really changes the skyline completely! Anyone else notice this?!

OP posts:
Plastictreees · 08/09/2025 20:25

I adore my fireplace and working chimney, it’s so lovely in the colder months. Then again I just adore old buildings in general, new builds are not for me.

PlanningTowns · 08/09/2025 20:23

Being involved in the permission process it is so difficult to ensure chimneys are included. Roofscapes are really important and chimneys form part of that. It is particularly important where the local area is full of chimneys. At best I’ve negotiated a scheme with a good developer where chimneys were included on every plot. At worst I get them on key buildings.

the argument against them is that they aren’t used for anything and impact sustainability. The other argument is to not encourage the use of wood burning stoves. However, if they are a tradition in the local area then they are important to ensure that the new development fits in and is good design.

its a thankless task as developers want to maximise profit and reduce costs on such details. But the cost of these sorts of details is often offset by the increase in price that they can get with better quality and design.

Original poster
Foxyloxymoxy · 08/09/2025 20:22

To be honest I love not having a fireplace anymore. The dust and dirt associated with them drove me nuts. I like that my house is just warm…it’s too warm still sometimes 🤣 saves time too.

OP posts:
childofthe607080s · 08/09/2025 20:13

Sometimes they are pretend chimneys because people think it’s more upmarket to have a chimney

SunnyD4ys · 08/09/2025 20:11

Not something that would ever register with me so I've looked on rightmove and based on the new build properties for sale in my area more have chimneys than not

Not scientific of course but enough to conclude that chimneys are alive and well

Original poster
Foxyloxymoxy · 08/09/2025 20:10

Meadowfinch · 08/09/2025 19:50

Not here. Part of the planning permission on the houses being built in our village specifically requires chimneys. They also must have EV charging points and solar panels.

Our power goes down with every storm. No sane person would buy a house without a chimney or flue of some kind here.

That’s crazy that they require them. Here we are encouraged against them for energy efficiency standards as open fires and chimneys create large heat losses and we are moving towards Air-tight construction
Modern homes are designed to be highly insulated and airtight so a chimney would constantly draw warm air out, undermining the airtightness.
Most new houses here now use heat pumps, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), or other renewable/low-carbon heating systems instead of solid fuel or oil.
We are phasing out carbon emissions so it has to be done.
houses must get at least 20% of their primary energy from renewable sources here now. So solar panels and heat pumps are standard with new builds.

OP posts:
Original poster
Foxyloxymoxy · 08/09/2025 20:09

Meadowfinch · 08/09/2025 19:50

Not here. Part of the planning permission on the houses being built in our village specifically requires chimneys. They also must have EV charging points and solar panels.

Our power goes down with every storm. No sane person would buy a house without a chimney or flue of some kind here.

That’s crazy that they require them. Here we are encouraged against them for energy efficiency standards as open fires and chimneys create large heat losses and we are moving towards Air-tight construction
Modern homes are designed to be highly insulated and airtight so a chimney would constantly draw warm air out, undermining this airtightness.
Most new houses here now use heat pumps, mechanical ventilation with heat recovery (MVHR), or other renewable/low-carbon heating systems instead of solid fuel or oil.
We are phasing out carbon emissions so it has to be done.
houses must get at least 20% of their primary energy from renewable sources here now. So solar panels and heat pumps are standard with new builds.

OP posts:
potoftea · 08/09/2025 20:08

No chimneys in new house here for years now, and reading about Santa, or the big bad wolf climbing down the chimney to catch the 3 little pigs, will be confusing to a whole generation of children soon!

Plastictreees · 08/09/2025 20:01

It’s chimneys galore around here, but I live in a conservation area. We also have a working chimney. It’s the sort of thing you don’t really notice until you think about it.

Nourishinghandcream · 08/09/2025 19:59

Our NB has a chimney although it is a GRP replica but you would never know without getting up there and touching it.

A quick Google search shows that they are very common.

Meadowfinch · 08/09/2025 19:50

Not here. Part of the planning permission on the houses being built in our village specifically requires chimneys. They also must have EV charging points and solar panels.

Our power goes down with every storm. No sane person would buy a house without a chimney or flue of some kind here.