Tree Preservation Orders
It is illegal to cut down, prune or damage a tree that is protected by a Tree Preservation Order without the Council’s consent. The unauthorised lopping or felling of a protected tree is a serious criminal offence and can result in a fine of up to £20,000.
If the trees are on the site of a development that took place within the last five years, work to the trees may be restricted by the planning permission granted for that development. Before doing anything please contact us to check.
Multiple protected trees in one area to be felled and they are not part of a garden you may need a Forestry Commission Felling Licence.
Search for a Tree Preservation Order
You can use our interactive map to find out if a tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order:
- Enter the street name or postcode in the Search location to find the area you're interested in
- Once the area has been found, go to the My Maps tab
- In the side panel on the left of the map open the Map Categories and select the Planning option
- Tick the boxes next to Tree Preservation Orders and Conversation Areas to see if the tree you are looking at doing work to is protected
Alternatively, please find a list of Tree Preservation Orders in the downloads panel below.
If your tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order, or if the tree is in a Conservation Area, you will need to apply for permission to carry out any work on it.
If you are still unsure whether you need permission you can contact the planning team by filling in the form.
If you wish to carry out works to a protected tree, you will need to submit an application that should include the following:
- Application Form (which can be found on the Planning Portal – see External Links below)
- Sketch Map or Plan showing the location of the tree.
- Detailed description of the proposed works (i.e. crown thinning, crown lifting, crown reduction). This should include the heights the tree will be reduced or lifted to, or details of the proposed thinning. The Planning Portal has produced a useful guide, which details the information provided to support your application (see External Links below).
Any protected tree that is dead, dying or dangerous can be removed without the need to apply for permission. However, the responsibility of proof rests with you. Before removing we recommend contacting us, with information regarding the status of the tree, details should include photographic evidence and the location of the tree. We will liaise with Leicestershire County Forestry before advising you whether the tree can be removed or not.
Hedges can be removed if they are within or from the boundary of a garden and not protected by a condition of planning permission. Most other hedges are protected by the Hedgerow Regulations 1997 and formal notice must be given to us in writing.
Once notice is given, we have six weeks to prevent the work if this is considered necessary. We will serve a Hedgerow Retention Notice if appropriate.