Know the rulesbefore the saw.
Guides to tree protection rules
Plain-English explanations of the rules that apply before you work on a tree — what a Tree Preservation Order covers, when you need consent, and how to apply for it.
- ✓ 12 guides
- ✓ Plain English
- ✓ 2–3 minute reads
All guides
Twelve short reads, no jargon.
- 01Basics · 2 min
What Is a Tree Preservation Order?
What a TPO means, why councils make them and what work they restrict. - 02Basics · 2 min
TPO vs Conservation Area: What's the Difference?
How the two protections differ, and why “no TPO found” isn’t the whole story. - 03Tree work & consent · 2 min
Can I Cut Down a Tree in My Garden?
The checks to make on TPOs, conservation areas and boundaries first. - 04Tree work & consent · 2 min
Can I Prune a Protected Tree?
When pruning needs consent — even for minor work. - 05Tree work & consent · 2 min
Can I Pollard a Tree with a TPO?
What an application involves and when emergency work may apply. - 06Tree work & consent · 2 min
How to Apply for TPO Works Consent
What the application needs — description, photos, plans — and how long it takes. - 07Enforcement · 2 min
What Happens If You Cut Down a Protected Tree?
An unlimited fine, and each tree counts separately. What happens next. - 08Tree work & consent · 3 min
Can I Remove a Dead Tree with a TPO?
The dead-tree exemption, and the five working days’ notice you still owe the council. - 09Neighbours & property · 3 min
Can I Cut Branches Overhanging My Garden?
Your common-law right to the boundary — and the TPO check to do first. - 10Basics · 2 min
How Long Does a TPO Last?
No expiry date — orders from the 1950s still bind. How removal works. - 11Neighbours & property · 3 min
How to Get a TPO Put on a Tree
Anyone can ask, and there’s no fee. What makes a strong request. - 12Neighbours & property · 3 min
Buying a House with Protected Trees
A TPO binds the property, not the seller. What to check before you buy.
Showing 12 of 12 guides.
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