Ceredigion County Council website

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)

TPOs are documents that give legal protection to specified individual trees, groups of trees or woodlands of public amenity value. A TPO can apply to a single tree, a group of trees, a woodland or all trees specified within an area.

Any size, species or age of tree can be protected by a TPO. Tress in hedges may be protected; however, hedgerows, shrubs and bushes cannot be given protection.

It is an offence to cut down, uproot, prune, damage or destroy a tree that is covered by a TPO, this includes individual trees, groups of trees, all trees (growing before or after the TPO was made) within a woodland TPO and any tree growing made at the time of an Area TPO.

This does not necessarily mean that work cannot be carried out, permission is needed from the Local Planning authority to carry out works.

All trees protected by a TPO are still the responsibility of the landowner, the local authority IS NOT responsible for the tree or trees and will not contribute to the cost of its maintenance.

Additionally, trees in Conservation Areas are also protected: the local authority must be given 42 days' notice before carrying out any works. This period allows the Council to consider placing a TPO on the affected tree or trees.

Permitted development – You must apply if you want to work on a protected tree where you are carrying out development where full planning permission is not needed.

Penalties

The courts have the authority to fine anyone who damages a protected tree. Fines for destroying a tree are unlimited, while unauthorised pruning can result in fines of up to £2,500. If financial gain is made from unauthorised work, such as increasing property value by creating a view, the court may impose a fine equivalent to the increase in property value.

A defendant cannot claim ignorance of a tree's protected status unless the council was responsible for that lack of knowledge. Additionally, removing trees from woodlands, forests, and the wider countryside may require a felling licence.

How to apply

For works to Trees covered by a TPO or works to trees in a conservation area? The easiest way to apply for permission is online via the planning portal. Submitting your application through the planning portal will speed up the determination of your application and will save you the cost of postage and printing. There is no fee for this application type.

However, if you would prefer you can download and print the relevant forms then complete and return them to the planning office. Again we would prefer if these forms were submitted electronically via treepreservation@ceredigion.gov.uk

Please ensure your application is complete otherwise it will not be accepted by Ceredigion County Council and this may cause you unnecessary delays. You are advised to use the planning portal to submit your application as this service will advise you if any of the form is filled incorrect.

• Trees in Conservation Areas
• Welsh Government Tree Preservation Order (TPOs)
• Protected Trees - Guidance Notes
• Tree Works Application Form
• Natural Resources Cymru Check if you need a felling licence
• Tree Preservation Order Register*
  *The register may not be a comprehensive list pre-2017
• Works to Trees Subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) - Guidance Notes