Protected trees:a guide to tree preservation procedures

Introduction Local planning authorities have specific powers to protect trees by

making tree preservation orders (TPOs), although the Forestry Commission is responsible for the control of felling generally.

Special provisions also apply to trees within conservation areas designated by local planning authorities.

This leaflet is written for the benefit of tree owners, the general public and amenity groups, and answers some of the most common questions about tree preservation procedures. It is for guidance only and is not a statement of the law. You should consult a solicitor if you are unsure of your legal rights or obligations.

1 Whatisatreepreservationorder(TPO)? Itisanordermadebyalocalplanningauthority(egLondon

boroughs,districtorunitarycouncils,nationalparkauthoritiesandsometimescountycouncils)whichingeneralmakesitanoffencetocutdown,top,lop,uproot,wilfullydamageorwilfullydestroyatreewithouttheplanningauthority’spermission.

2. WhatisthepurposeofaTPO? Toprotecttreeswhichmakeasignificantimpactontheirlocal

surroundings.Thisisparticularlyimportantwheretreesareinimmediatedanger.

3. WhattypeandspeciesoftreescanbecoveredbyaTPO? Alltypes,includinghedgerowtrees,butnothedges,bushesor

shrubs.Theordercancoveranythingfromasingletreetowoodlands.Anyspeciescanbeprotected,butnospeciesisautomaticallyprotectedbyaTPO.

4. HowcanIfindoutifatreeiscoveredbyaTPO? Contactyourlocalplanningauthority.Detailsofordersarealso

availableforinspectionattheiroffices. Anofficialsearchofthelocallandchargesregistercanalsobe

madebeforeyoupurchaseaproperty.ThisshouldrevealtheexistenceofaTPO(orwhetheryourpropertyisinaconservationarea).Makesureyoursolicitortellsyouifanytreesareprotected.

5. IfIseeworkbeingcarriedoutonaprotectedtree,howcanIfindoutiftheownerhaspermission?

Checkwithyourlocalplanningauthority.Ithasaregisterofapplicationsanddecisionswhichyoucanlookat.

6.TherearetreeswhichIthinkshouldbeprotectedbyaTPO.WhatcanIdo?

Contactyourlocalplanningauthoritygivingdetailsofthetrees,andthereasonswhyyouthinkthetreesshouldbeprotected.

However,iftheForestryCommissionhasgivenaidunderaforestrygrantscheme,aTPOcanonlybemadewiththeCommission’spermission.

7. DoesaTPOcomeintoeffectimmediately? ThelocalplanningauthoritymaymakeaTPOwhichcomesintoeffect

immediatelyandremainsinforceforuptosixmonths.Long-termprotectionisprovidedwhentheplanningauthorityconfirmtheTPO.

8. HowwillIknowwhenalocalplanningauthoritymakesaTPO? Itwillwritetotheownerandotherinterestedparties,enclosinga

copyoftheorder.

9. HowcanIobjecttoorexpresssupportforanewTPO? Ifyouoranyoneelsewantstoobjecttoorsupportanorder,write

tothelocalplanningauthoritywithintheperiodtheyallow(usually28days)sayingwhyandgivingdetailsoftherelevanttrees.

Theplanningauthoritywilltakethesecommentsintoaccountwhenitdecideswhethertoconfirmtheorder.Whentheplanningauthorityconfirmstheorderitcanmodifyit,forexamplebyexcludingsomeofthetrees.

10.Doesthelocalplanningauthoritythenbecomeresponsibleforlookingafterthetrees?

No.Theownerremainsresponsibleforthetrees,theirconditionandanydamagetheymaycause.Buttheplanningauthority’spermissionisrequiredbeforecarryingoutworkonthem,unlesstheyaredying,deadordangerous(butseequestion13).

Theplanningauthoritymaybeabletoofferhelpandadviceonhowthetreesshouldbemanaged.

11.DoIneedaForestryCommissionfellinglicencetocutdowntreescoveredbyaTPO?

WhetherornotaTPOisinforceyoumustfirstapplytotheForestryCommissionforafellinglicenceifyouwanttocutdowntreescontainingmorethanfivecubicmetresofwoodinanycalendarquarter.ThereareexceptionstothisrulewhicharesetoutintheForestryAct1967andRegulationsmadeunderthatAct.Forexample,youdonotneedalicenceforfellingtreesingardens.

IfalicenceisrequiredandthetreesarecoveredbyaTPO,theForestryCommissionwilldealwithyourapplicationinconsultationwiththelocalplanningauthority.WheretheCommissionproposestograntalicenceitwillfirstgivenoticetothelocalplanningauthority.InsuchcasestheplanningauthorityhastherighttoobjecttotheproposalandifitdoessotheapplicationwillbereferredtotheSecretaryofStateforCommunitiesandLocalGovernmentwhowillmakeafinaldecision.

ApplicantsshouldnotethattheCommissionalmostalwaysrequiresfelledtreestoberestockedanddoesnotnormallygrantlicencestochangewoodlandtoagriculturaluse.

12.WhatifIwanttoworkonaprotectedtreebutdon’tneedafellinglicence?

YoumustseekpermissionfromthelocalplanningauthoritybysubmittingastandardapplicationformavailablefromthemorthePlanningPortalwebsite(www.planningportal.gov.uk).Itisimportantthatyouspecifytheworkyouwishtocarryoutclearly,provideinformationtosupportyourcase(suchasprofessionaladviceonthehealthofthetreeor,incasesofallegedsubsidence,professionalevidenceonthesoil,thestructureaffectedandthetree).

Youmayfindithelpfultoconsultanarborist(treesurgeon)orarboriculturalconsultanttohelpyouclarifywhatyouneedtodo.

Furtherguidanceontheselectionofanappropriatetreeexpertcanbefoundatwww.tree-care.info/findanarb.

13.DoIalwaysneedtheplanningauthority’spermissiontoworkonaprotectedtree?

Yes,exceptfor:1) cuttingdowntreesinaccordancewithoneoftheForestry

Commission’sgrantschemes,orwheretheCommissionhasgrantedafellinglicence(seequestion11);

2) cuttingdownorpruningatree:

• whichisdying,deadordangerous;• inlinewithanobligationunderanActofParliament;• attherequestofcertainorganisationsspecifiedin

theorder;• whichisdirectlyinthewayofdevelopmentthatis

abouttostartforwhichdetailedplanningpermissionhasbeengranted(seequestions22and23);

• inacommercialorchard,orpruningfruittreesinaccordancewithgoodhorticulturalpractice;

• topreventorcontrolalegalnuisance(youmayfindithelpfultocheckfirstwithasolicitor).

Ifyouareinanydoubt,checkwithyourlocalplanningauthority.

14. IfIdon’tneedtheplanningauthority’sorForestryCommission’spermission,doIstillhavetoinformthemofanyworkIintendtocarryout?

Exceptinanemergencyyouareadvisedtogiveyourlocalplanningauthorityatleastfivedays’noticebeforeyoucutdownaprotectedtreewhichisdying,deadordangerous.Thisisinyourinterests–youcouldbeprosecutediftheauthoritythinksyouhavecarriedoutunauthorisedwork.Itcouldalsodecidethatyoudonothavetoplantareplacementtree.Youmustremember,however,thatyouwillremainresponsibleforyourtreesandanydamagetheymaycause.

15.WhenwillIhavetoplantareplacementtree? Youwillhavetoreplant:

1) ifyoucutdownordestroyaprotectedtree:

• inbreachofanorder,or• becausethetreeisdying,deadordangerous(except

inwoodlands);2) iftheplanningauthoritygivesyoupermissiontocutdowna

protectedtreebutmakesreplantingaconditionofitsconsent;3) inmostcaseswheretheForestryCommissiongrantsa

fellinglicence. Localplanningauthoritieshavelegalpowerstoensurethatyou

plantareplacementtreewhenrequired.

16.WhathappensifIcarryoutworkonaprotectedtreewithoutpermission?

Ifyoudeliberatelydestroyatree,ordamageitinamannerlikelytodestroyit,youcouldbefinedupto£20,000ifconvictedinthemagistrate’scourt.Indeterminingtheamountofthefine,thecourtwilltakeaccountofanyfinancialbenefitarisingfromtheoffence.Forotheroffencesyoucouldbefinedupto£2,500.

Youwillnormallyhavetoplantareplacementtreeifthetreewascutdownordestroyed.

17.Whatifmyapplicationtocarryoutworkonaprotectedtreeisrefused,orIobjecttotheconditionsimposedbytheplanningauthority?

YoucanappealtotheSecretaryofStateforCommunitiesandLocalGovernmentinwritingwithin28daysofreceivingthedecision.Theplanningauthorityshouldgiveyoutheaddress.

Appealsarenormallydecidedonthebasisoftheinformationavailabletotheplanningauthoritywhentheymadetheirdecisionandasitevisit.

TheSecretaryofStatemayallowordismisstheappeal,orvarytheoriginaldecision.

18.CanIgetanycompensationifmyapplicationtocarryoutworkontrees/woodlandprotectedbyaTPOisrefusedorconditionsareimposed?

Ifconsentisrefused–orgrantedwithconditions–youcanseekcompensationfromyourlocalplanningauthorityforanylossordamagewhichresults.Howeveryoucannotmakeaclaimwhere,underthetermsoftheorder,theplanningauthorityhasissuedacertificatesayingeither:

• thattherefusalorconditionisintheinterestsofgoodforestry,or

• thatthetreesorwoodlandhaveanoutstandingorspecialamenityvalue.

YoucanappealtotheSecretaryofStateagainstsuchacertificate.LocalplanningauthoritiesareonlyabletoissuethesecertificatesunderTPOswhichweremadebefore2August1999.

WhereafellinglicenceapplicationhasbeenrefusedbytheForestryCommission(seequestion11)youmaygetcompensationfromtheCommissionundertherelevantforestrylegislation.

Replantingofwoodland:Youcanalsoseekcompensationfromthelocalplanningauthoritywhere,ongivingpermissiontocutdownprotectedwoodland,ithasrequiredreplacementplanting.ButsuchcompensationisonlyavailableiftheForestryCommissionwillnotgiveagrantforthereplantingonthegroundsthatitwouldnotbeinaccordancewithgoodforestrypractice.

19.HowdoIgoaboutclaimingcompensationunderatreepreservationorder?

Writetoyourlocalplanningauthoritywithin12monthsofitsdecision,orthatoftheSecretaryofStateifyouappealed.

20.Aretreesprotectedinaconservationarea? Yes.Youhavetogiveyourlocalplanningauthoritysixweeks’

noticebeforecarryingoutworkontreeswhicharelocatedinaconservationareabutarenotyetthesubjectofatreepreservationorder.Thisgivestheauthorityanopportunitytoconsiderwhetheranordershouldbemadetoprotectthetrees.

Enforcementactionmaybetakenbytheplanningauthoritywherethesixweeksnoticeisnotgiven(seequestion16).

Youdonotneedtogivenoticeifyouwanttoworkontreeslessthan7.5centimetresindiameter,measured1.5metresabovetheground(or10centimetresifthinningtohelpthegrowthofothertrees).Theexceptionsinquestion13andtheadviceinquestion14alsoapply.Ifindoubt,checkwithyourlocalplanningauthority.

21.Howaretreesondevelopmentsitesaffected? Treesondevelopmentsitescanbeprotectedbytreepreservation

ordersorbyconditionsattachedtotheplanningpermission,orboth.Planningconditionsmayalsorequireyoutoplanttreeswhichmaybecoveredbyatreepreservationorder.Theorderwilltakeeffectoncetheyareplanted.

22.CanIcarryoutworkonprotectedtreeswhichareinthewayofproposeddevelopment?

Youcanonlycutdownorcutbackprotectedtreesiftheyaredirectlyinthewayofdevelopmentwhichisabouttostart,forwhichyouhavedetailedplanningpermission.Youcannotcarryouttreeworkifyouhaveoutlineplanningpermission.Checkfirstwithyourlocalplanningauthority.Itmayprosecuteyouifitthinksyouhavecutdowntreesorcutthembackexcessively.

Ifthedevelopmentdoesnotrequireplanningpermission(forexample,puttingupagardenshed)youmustapplytoyourlocalplanningauthorityforpermissionunderthetreepreservationorderinthenormalway.

23.CanIstopplanningpermissionbeinggranted–orpreventapproveddevelopmentbeingcarriedout–bygettingatreepreservationorderimposedontreesonthesite?

No.Atreepreservationorderdoesnotpreventplanningpermissionbeinggranted.Butalocalplanningauthoritywillconsidertherisktoprotectedtreeswhendecidingplanningapplications.

Oncedetailedplanningpermissionisgranted,anyfellingmaybecarriedoutwhichisdirectlyrequiredtoenablethedevelopmenttogoahead.

Further information Youcanfindoutmoreabouttreepreservationordersinthe

following:

• TownandCountryPlanningAct1990(inparticularsections197-214asamended)

• ThePlanningandCompensationAct1991(section23)• ForestryAct1967(asamended)• TheTownandCountryPlanning(Trees)Regulations

1999(StatutoryInstrumentNo.1892)• TheTownandCountryPlanning(Trees)(Amendment)

(England)Regulations2008(StatutoryInstrumentNo.2260)

TheseareallavailablethroughTheStationeryOffice(telephone08706005522orvisitwww.opsi.gov.uk)andmaybeseenatsomemainlibraries.

MoredetailedguidancecanbefoundinthepublicationTree Preservation Orders: A Guide to the Law and Good Practice(telephone03001231124(price£8)orvisitwww.communities.gov.uk/treesandhedges).

YoumayalsofindithelpfultoobtainacopyoftheForestryCommission’sbookletTree Felling – getting permission(telephone08449916500orvisitwww.forestry.gov.uk/england).

PublishedbytheDepartmentforCommunitiesandLocalGovernment.

©CrownCopyright2008.

Re-printedintheUKMarch2010onpapercomprising75%post

consumerwasteand25%ECFpulp.

ReferenceNumber:09PD06285

ISBN:9781409801627

ISBN 978-1-40980-162-7

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