Trees, landscape and ecology

The Landscape Section covers a wide range of landscape, arboriculture, biodiversity and countryside management work throughout the Vale. The aim of our work is to protect and to enhance the landscape we live in.

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 (TPOs), Trees in Conservation Areas and trees protected through planning conditions.

The following pages give more details about the work we carry out. For more information please contact the Landscape Section using the contact details on the right.

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 written notice including a plan. The council will consider the proposed works and respond appropriately. Sometimes this repsonse is 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 This link will take you to an external website... 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.