Thanet District Council is responsible for the administration and management of trees in Conservation Areas (CAs) and trees with Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs).
This work involves:
- Surveying and inspecting trees to decide if they should be included in new TPOs.
- Considering all proposals from owners to fell or prune protected trees.
A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is a statutory order made by a local planning authority.
Its purpose is to protect specific trees, groups of trees, or woodlands in the interests of amenity (their value to the local area).
An Order prohibits the following activities without the council’s written consent:
- Cutting down
- Topping
- Lopping
- Uprooting
- Wilful damage
- Wilful destruction
In the Secretary of State’s view, cutting roots is also a prohibited activity. It requires the authority’s consent.
If consent is given, it can be subject to conditions (for example, requiring replacement planting).
Purpose of TPOs
TPOs are used to protect selected trees and woodlands. This applies where:
- They contribute significantly to the quality of an area.
- Their removal would negatively impact the environment and its enjoyment by the public.
What can be protected
TPOs can be placed on any tree that has amenity value.
- This includes hedgerow trees.
- This does not include hedges, bushes, or shrubs.
If a tree is covered by a TPO and is confirmed to be dead or posing an immediate risk of serious harm, a full 8-week application is not required. However, you must submit a statutory notice to the council.
You must use our dedicated online form for this notice:
Maximum penalty
TPOs prohibit specific actions without the Local Authority’s consent. You must not:
- Cut down a tree
- Uproot a tree
- Cause wilful damage
- Cause wilful destruction
The maximum penalty for carrying out works to TPO trees without consent is up to £20,000 per tree.
PermalinkProtection exists for all trees in a Conservation Area above a specific size, regardless of whether a TPO is also in place.
- Protection Threshold: All trees which have a stem diameter of 75mm (approx. 3 inches) or above when measured at 1.5m up the stem are automatically protected.
- Notice Required: You must provide us with 6 weeks written notice (Notification of Intent) before carrying out any work (pruning or removal).
- Exemptions: Shrubs are not protected in a Conservation Area. Trees that form a hedge and multi-stemmed trees are protected if they conform to the dimensions above.
Kent County Council (KCC) is responsible for the management of trees on the highway (public roads and pavements) to ensure they are kept in good condition and do not make the highway unsafe.
View the KCC guidance on trees near roads and pavements
PermalinkThe removal of important agricultural hedgerows is protected by the Hedgerow Regulations 1997.
If a hedgerow is considered to be important, you may need to submit a Hedgerow Removal Notice to the council.
Find more information about managing hedgerows and the rules and regulations on the GOV.UK website.
PermalinkSometimes, trees are protected by specific conditions attached to a historic planning permission relating to development on the site.
To find out if trees are protected by planning conditions, please look at the planning history of an address.
Search for Planning Applications
If your tree is covered by a planning condition, you may need to get permission from us to carry out work. The specific planning condition will make this clear.
Permalink- Check TPO and Conservation Area Boundaries on Our Interactive Map
- For a comprehensive guide to the law and best practice on TPOs and trees in Conservation Areas, please refer to the official GOV.UK Planning Practice Guidance.