Tree Preservation Orders can be placed on single trees, groups or areas of woodland, and occasionally may apply to a hedgerow tree. The Order may prohibit cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting, wilful damage or destruction, except with the consent of the Local Authority. An Order cannot apply to dead, dying or dangerous trees, or to growth not meriting the name of ‘tree’. The stem would normally need to be over about 7” (180mm) diameter to be described as a tree.
A further recourse open to planning authorities is to protect trees by conditions attached to grants of planning permission for development.
