Protected trees

You will need to give notice of work to a tree if it has a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or is in a conservation area.

Tree Preservation Orders

A TPO is made by the Local Planning Authority to protect trees or woodlands against damage. If you're planning to carry out works to a protected tree you need to get permission from us.

Search a property address to see if an order is within a 50m radius

TPO search

If you need specific information about a Tree Preservation Order, please contact Planning Services on planning@westoxon.gov.uk or 01993 861420.

Trees in Conservation Areas

Many of the historic towns and villages in West Oxfordshire have a distinctive character which needs special protection so they have been named as conservation areas. Trees in conservation areas have special provision as well as buildings and development.

If you are planning to carry out work to a tree in a conservation area you are required by law to give us six weeks notice unless an exemption applies. This is so we can consider whether a Tree Preservation Order should be made to protect the trees. It is a criminal offence to prune, fell or damage a tree in a conservation area without giving us notice.

Giving notice of work to protected trees

It is essential that you plan ahead if you intend to carry out work to protected trees. We must be given six weeks notice in writing of:

the precise location of the tree
a detailed description of the proposed work
photographs of the tree/s
arboricultural justification for the works

You can complete an application form on the Planning Portal. The validation criteria for what you need to submit are available to download.

Tree Works - Trees in Conservation Subject to TPO Validation Checklist - pdf - 279 Kb

Exemptions from giving notice of work to protected trees

You do not have to give six weeks notice if:

the tree has a diameter less than 75mm. The diameter as measured at 1.5m above ground level.
you have a felling licence granted by the Forestry Commission or a plan of operations approved by the Commission under one of its grant schemes
you are cutting or removing garden hedges
you are cutting or removing garden shrubs
the work is necessary to carry out an approved planning scheme
the trees are dead or have become dangerous, then five days written notice is required (unless it has become so dangerous that it requires immediate action, in which case, notify us as soon as possible).
you are removing dead branches from a living tree

If you are not sure if the condition of the tree means it is exempt, contact our planning services team on 01993 861420.