Remove Tree Preservation Order (PTO)

braun_2

Hi,

My mother in law who has mobility problems, has an enormous tree in her garden, (this thing is huge). As it is only a small plot with a small garden, the tree sits right in the middle of the lawn and blocks out most of the sun and drops leaves in the autumn and branches whenever there are high winds both in hers and the three surrounding gardens.

I recently enquired about getting this tree cut down for her and found out that there is a Tree preservation order attached to it. Does anyone know if there is a way you can apply to have a tree preservation order removed? I would quite happily pay for a few other trees to be planted in the local park or a forest where they would be better suited.

The local council offers no information on their website and I can't find any online resources from other people/councils.

Thank you

Mojisola

Contact the council's Tree Officer and discuss the problem.

bigadaj

Ring up your council planning department and speak to an officer, they may be able to offer some advice or pass you into the relevant person.

Offsetting as you describe has become an option in recent years, large developers are now paying for mitigation by creating habitat elsewhere, I've seen schemes done for great crested newts, bats, voles etc so offering to replace elsewhere might be an option they'd consider.

cattie

There will be a tree officer at your local council offices. It's very difficult to get protected trees unprotected status unless diseased.

If a protected tree is a fruit bearing tree you are allowed to reduce it's height by a certain amount without applying for permission, but this is only for fruit bearing trees.

Some people with protected trees in their back gardens keep quiet & cut trees down & hope nobody grasses them up to the council. I've had neighbours who have done this, but you take a chance as you can be fined if somebody reports you & ordered by the council to have another tree planted in it's place.

I_have_spoken

The trick is to speak to house insurer. They often write to the Council putting liability for damage on the COuncil because TPO prevents removing tree which results in TPO being quickly lifted.