What permission is required?

If a building is Listed or located in Conservation Area listed building consent and planning permission may be required for alterations to a chimney. Planning permission is not normally required for chimney breast removal unless the building is listed or situated in a conservation area.

However, a Building Regulations application is required when some but not all of a chimney is removed.

Can steel gallows brackets be used to support what's left of the chimney?

Gallows brackets are triangular frames made by welding sections of angle iron together. These brackets are bolted to the party wall, with a precast concrete lintel or steel plate acting as a beam, to support the chimney above. Whether the removal of chimney breasts and support of the residual stack by steel gallows brackets is satisfactory or not is dependent on a number of factors:

  1. Is the proposal acceptable to other parties with an interest in the party wall to which the chimney is attached? This is a civil matter subject to the provisions of the Party Wall etc Act 1996. Guidance notes are available from the Department of Communities and Local Government (DCLG Free Literature, PO Box 236, Wetherby, L23 7NB, Tel: 0870 1226236, Fax: 0870 1226237 or via the internet at: http://www.communities.gov.uk.
  2. Have chimney breasts been removed in the property that shares the party wall in question? If so, the use of gallows brackets is unlikely to be adequate.2.
  3. What is the thickness of the party wall between the chimney breasts? The party wall should be at least 215mm thick.
  4. Is the brickwork in the party wall in good condition? If not, gallows brackets are unlikely to be adequate.
  5. The amount of brickwork to be supported: There should be a greater mass of brickwork below roof level to that above roof level, otherwise the chimney could become unstable and overturn. On the other hand, if the mass of brickwork to be supported is too great, gallows brackets will not be adequate.
  6. Is the brickwork of the chimney bonded into the party wall? If not, the chimney will need to be suitably propped until the new supports are in place. Health and Safety planning for the works are essential.  
  7. If the wall to which the chimney is attached to is a flank wall, the chimney provides restraint to the wall; i.e. it increases the stability of the wall. If the chimney is removed, additional restraint should be provided, e.g. restraint straps tying the wall to floors, ceilings and rafters.

What should be done if gallows brackets are not adequate?

You should engage a structural engineer to determine if the proposal is feasible and to carry out the necessary structural design.

This information was correct at the time of writing (September 2006).

Contact us

Building Control
Environment and Regeneration
Waltham Forest Council
Sycamore House
Forest Road
London E17 4JF
Tel 020 8496 3000
Email building.control@walthamforest.gov.uk

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