Tree Preservation Order
Have you been searching for an expert team who can provide you with Tree Preservation Order guidance? Then you have come to the right place. We are Kent Tree Brothers, and we have years of experience to our name. We have worked on many trees covered by TPOs when carrying out commercial tree work, and we can tailor our approach to suit the needs of all kinds of business owners.
With our help, you can maintain a safe and inviting outdoor space that is fully compliant with Tree Preservation Order restrictions. Here is everything you need to know.
About Tree Preservation Orders
You may have heard of a Tree Preservation Order, but what are they and how do they affect any work that you plan to carry out on trees on your commercial site? A TPO is an order made by your local planning authority to protect a tree, although it can also apply to a group of trees or an area of woodland.
What does this mean for you? Well, if a TPO is in place, you will not be able to carry out any work, such as cutting or lopping, without prior consent from your local council’s planning department. If you do get consent for work to be carried out, it may be granted with some restrictions.
Breaching a Tree Preservation Order
You don’t need us to tell you that running a business comes with plenty of red tape and waiting for relevant parties to get back to you. How serious can it really be to breach a Tree Preservation order rather than waiting around for permission? Very serious, actually. If you are found to have breached a TPO, you will have committed a criminal offence and could pay up to £20,000 in the Magistrates’ Court or an unlimited fine in the Crown Court. Even minor damage can cost you up to £2,500. You will have to replant the tree as well, leading to even more expense. Our advice? It’s never worth it!
Does that mean I cannot carry out work on protected trees on my site?
Reading all of the above might make you think that you cannot prune or remove a tree if a TPO is in place. The reality is following all the right protocols and waiting until you have clear permission before proceeding. That is where our Tree Preservation Order planning advice comes in. We will take a close look at the tree and the reason it was granted a TPO, and then give you an honest idea of what kind of work will likely be approved. If consent is granted but there are still a number of Tree Preservation Order restrictions in place, we will break these down and explain to you how we will proceed in line with those.
We are also on hand to provide advice when emergency tree work is needed on a tree covered by a TPO, working with you at pace to come to an agreement with your local authority and ensure that your commercial site remains safe and accessible.
Talk to Us
To find out more about us and the TPO advice provided by our team, please get in touch today. We know that TPOs can leave you feeling stuck, but with our help, you stand the best possible chance of getting the permission needed for the work you want to carry out. We are a firm favourite of businesses all over Kent and cannot wait to hear from you.