Guidance on Trees, Hedges and Woodlands
Trees make a valuable contribution to the natural and built environment.
Foremost, they help to improve the visual amenity of both the countryside in its natural setting as well as in villages and towns through urban landscaping and featured planting. Trees and woods also provide a habitat for wildlife and enhance local bio diversity. They can provide shade and shelter, release oxygen into the atmosphere and can act to a degree as pollution filters. Trees are, however, at their most vulnerable when development takes place in close proximity to them.
Frequently asked questions about trees, tree preservation orders, conservation areas and other related questions.
A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is an Order made by the Council, giving legal protection to trees or woodland.
All trees in Conservation Areas are protected from unnecessary felling or lopping by the Town & Country Planning Act 1990 and you must give six weeks notice in writing to the Council's Development Control Department.
Trees on development sites may be protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) and/or by conditions attached to a planning permission. It is important that such trees are properly protected during construction.
It is estimated that thousands of people are adversely affected by high hedges, but if the owner of the hedge is unwilling to co-operate there is little the person affected can presently do.
