Tree Preservation Orders

A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is an order made by a local planning authority in England, Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland to protect specific trees, groups of trees, or woodlands in the interests of amenity. An order prohibits the:

cutting down;

topping;

lopping;

uprooting;

willful damage; or

willful destruction

of trees, without the local planning authority’s written consent. If consent is given, it can be subject to conditions which have to be followed. In the Secretary of State’s view, cutting roots is also a prohibited activity and requires the authority’s consent.