Tree Preservation Orders (TPO's)

Trees which grow which are valuable in terms of their asethetics are termed 'Amenity trees' by Communities and Local Government. They may be trees which grow on council owned property, but can be anywhere, including besides canals, railways, rivers and in private gardens.

The UK has strong legislation to protect trees, woods and conservation areas which give local planning authorities (LPA's) powers to protect trees, either in groups or single specimens. It is a similar power which protects listed buildings, and anyone can ask for a tree to be 'TPO'd'. To do so you must contact your local LPA (Emergency TPO's can be granted if the application is 'urgent').

If you own a tree which has a TPO, you may still carry out work on it, provided you have applied to the LPA, making a good cases as to why the tree needs to have work carried out i.e. it is dangerous or diseased etc.

Any trees may have a TPO placed on them, including trees in hedgrows. (Hedges themselves cannot have a TPO placed on them.). NO TREES ARE AUTOMATICALLY PROTECTED.

For more information on protected trees and to download the Communities and Government guide to protected trees, click here.

To download a copy of a guide to the law along with the 2008 addendum, click on the links below.

Tree Preservation Orders: A Guide to the Law and Good Practice

Tree Preservation Orders: A Guide to the Law and Good Practice - Addendum September 2008

Model form of tree preservation order