TPO applications and tree surveys
Is your tree protected? We check, then make the Tree Preservation Order application or conservation area notice to the right council for you, and only start work once you're covered.
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Tree Preservation Orders in short
A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is a legal protection a council puts on a tree, a group of trees or a woodland. You need the council's written consent before you prune or fell a protected tree, and doing the work without it is a criminal offence. Trees in a conservation area are also protected: you must give the council six weeks' notice before most work. Clearcut checks every tree's status, prepares the application, and manages it to a decision.
- Councils
- BCP Council, Dorset Council, New Forest District Council, the New Forest National Park Authority and the other Hampshire councils
- TPO decision
- Councils have up to 8 weeks
- Conservation area
- 6 weeks' notice before work
- Cost of applying
- Councils don't charge to apply for TPO consent
- Unprotected trees
- No consent needed, but we always check
How to check if your tree has a TPO
You can't tell by looking at a tree. The only way to know is to check the council's records.
In Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, BCP Council publishes an online map showing TPO trees and conservation areas. Dorset Council and the Hampshire councils, including New Forest District Council and the New Forest National Park Authority, have their own maps or will confirm by email.
Maps aren't always up to date, and a new TPO can be made at any time, so the safest thing is to check close to when the work is due. We check the status of every tree on our free visit and tell you exactly what applies before we quote.
If you are buying a house, the local searches should show any TPO, but conservation area boundaries are easy to miss. Ask us to check before you plan any work.
What needs permission?
The rules depend on whether the tree has a TPO, is in a conservation area, or neither.
| Situation | What you need | How long |
|---|---|---|
| Tree Preservation Order | The council's written consent before pruning or felling | Up to 8 weeks for a decision |
| Conservation area, trunk over 75 mm at 1.5 m | Six weeks' written notice to the council | 6 weeks |
| Conservation area, smaller tree | Usually nothing | None |
| Dead or dangerous protected tree | Make safe, and tell the council straight away | Same day |
| No TPO, not in a conservation area | Nothing, unless a planning condition protects it | None |
| Felling a lot of timber outside a garden | Possibly a Forestry Commission felling licence | Varies |
How we handle your application
- 1
Check
We check the TPO and conservation area records for your address and confirm which council deals with it.
- 2
Assess and specify
An arborist looks at the tree and writes a clear specification, such as "reduce the crown by 2 m", with the reasons.
- 3
Apply
We prepare and submit the application or the six-week notice, with photos and a plan of where the tree is.
- 4
Follow up
We deal with the council's tree officer, answer questions and arrange any site visit.
- 5
Decision
You get the decision. If consent is granted, we book the work in. If conditions are attached, we follow them.
- 6
Work done right
The work is carried out exactly as consented, to British Standard BS3998.
Tree surveys for planning
Building near trees? The council will usually want a tree survey with the planning application.
A BS5837 tree survey records the trees on and next to a development site, their condition and their root protection areas, so the design can keep the trees worth keeping. Without one, many planning applications can't be validated.
We also carry out tree condition surveys for homeowners, landlords, property managers and estates who need to know which trees are safe and what work is needed. See our tree consultancy service.
TPO questions
Anything not covered here? Ask us and we'll give you a straight answer.
How do I know if my tree has a TPO?
Is there a BCP Council TPO map?
How long does a TPO application take?
What happens if I cut a protected tree without consent?
Do I need consent to cut back branches from a neighbour's protected tree?
Can a protected tree be removed if it is dangerous?
Do you charge to make the application?
Do we cover you?
Based in Ferndown, covering all of Dorset, all of Hampshire and parts of Wiltshire.
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- You pick a timeOnline, in about a minute. Visits run Monday to Thursday and Saturdays.
- We visit and look properlyA qualified arborist checks the trees, the access and whether any consent is needed.
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