Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Vale of White Horse District Council

Tree protection and advice

The Council's Arboriculture Officer provides advice on issues relating to trees throughout the Vale including trees in private ownership and District Council owned trees. Trees are protected in various ways through Tree Preservation Orders, Trees in Conservation Areas and trees protected through planning conditions. 

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) 

There are hundreds of trees throughout the Vale protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). To carry out work to these trees written consent is required from the Council. If you wish to obtain an application form for such works you can either contact the Vale’s Arboricultural Officer using the contact details on the right, or you can download a form from our planning page - How to submit a planning application - (for works to trees you will need form 26.) If you need to find out if a tree is covered by a TPO you should contact the Arboricultural Officer.

Unauthorised works that severely damage or destroy a protected tree can lead to fines of up to £20,000. If you are planning work on a tree that you suspect may be protected it is strongly advised that you check first.    

Conservation areas 

Anyone wanting to carry out works on trees over 75 mm (3inches) diameter at breast height within a conservation area must give the Council six weeks notice. The Council will consider the proposed works and either grant or refuse consent. Refusal is sometimes followed by a TPO. Similar penalties to the TPO are incurred if these regulations are broken. For more information see our page on Conservation areas in the Vale.

Other methods of tree protection

Condition of planning regulations - These are conditions attached to planning consents and require written permission from the council before undertaking works.   

Forestry Act - This is administered by the Forestry Commission and involves gaining permission to fell trees on your land. Removal of over five cubic metres of timber in any one calendar quarter may require a Felling Licence. For advice regarding tree protection please contact the Arboricultural Officer.