As I understand things ALL trees are now protected regardless of species or where they are, whether they are in a conservation area or not if they have a girth of 75mm or more at a height from the ground. Thought it was 1m but looks as though it's 1.5mtrs.
In my post I said unless you can convince the council it's a hedge rather than a row of trees.
Most councils exercise a fair amount of common sense I've found but there are those that don't and stick to the rules. And I think it also depends on who complains if someone gets it wrong too. If a nobody complains then perhaps a council will ignore the complaint. If it's a somebody that complains then they'll do something about it. (Who the complainant is rather than what the complaint is about!).
My local council "Scarborough Council" in North Yorkshire are very rigid about the rules in general and trees are no exception. They recently wasted £350K to prevent one tree from being felled and were eventually overruled at a higher level after 5yrs I think it was. The applicant spent a similar amount of money getting permission to fell the tree. It wasn't in a conservation area. The tree was a Sycamore.
My garden is in the East Riding of Yorkshire and it's in a conservation area and yet the local council is far more relaxed about the rules. I'm 99% confident that if I wanted to I could fell my ancient Sycamore tree next week but it would never happen if the tree was in the Scarborough area, in fact it would get TPO'd within half an hour of submitting an application I know it would. I know this will happen because it has happened on many an occasion in recent years, well documented.
Be careful about felling trees of any size whatever species they are and wherever they may be, fines can be huge if you get it wrong.
It's a hedge not a row of trees approach is the important way forward. But first I'd want to explore why they were planted in the first place, Privacy or wind break or some other reason. You could fell them then regret it in some as yet unknown reason!
"3 inches? Flipping heck, round here we have dandelions with thicker stems than that."
If it's a row of conifers you can treat them as a hedge that has been left to run wild by previous owners and cut them to hedge height this year. Next year they'll be a hedge and you can pull them up at will.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
I am in West Sussex and the only protected trees are those with a tpo or in the conservation area. The conservation area starts the other side of my property so I could do what I wanted with my trees.
in the last 5 years I have taken down a giant conifer, a old birch tree that was diseased, a gum tree that was far to big for where it was placed and 2 palm trees because I got fed up of clearing up the palms.
To see a world in a grain of sand and heaven in a wild flower Hold infinity in the palm of your hand and eternity in an hour.
Yet in Sheffield they are felling whole streets of trees whether the residents complain or not. In fact there seems no way of stopping the Council/Contractors.
Posts
75mm girth is tiny, if that were a rule we wouldn't be able to cut anything back.
I doubt if there are rules preventing the removal of leylandii.
In the sticks near Peterborough
This may be of interest http://www.gardenlaw.co.uk/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=19254
It seems that being in a Conservation Area is the important point.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
So there you go, chop ‘em down if you want too.?
As I understand things ALL trees are now protected regardless of species or where they are, whether they are in a conservation area or not if they have a girth of 75mm or more at a height from the ground. Thought it was 1m but looks as though it's 1.5mtrs.
In my post I said unless you can convince the council it's a hedge rather than a row of trees.
Most councils exercise a fair amount of common sense I've found but there are those that don't and stick to the rules. And I think it also depends on who complains if someone gets it wrong too. If a nobody complains then perhaps a council will ignore the complaint. If it's a somebody that complains then they'll do something about it. (Who the complainant is rather than what the complaint is about!).
My local council "Scarborough Council" in North Yorkshire are very rigid about the rules in general and trees are no exception. They recently wasted £350K to prevent one tree from being felled and were eventually overruled at a higher level after 5yrs I think it was. The applicant spent a similar amount of money getting permission to fell the tree. It wasn't in a conservation area. The tree was a Sycamore.
My garden is in the East Riding of Yorkshire and it's in a conservation area and yet the local council is far more relaxed about the rules. I'm 99% confident that if I wanted to I could fell my ancient Sycamore tree next week but it would never happen if the tree was in the Scarborough area, in fact it would get TPO'd within half an hour of submitting an application I know it would. I know this will happen because it has happened on many an occasion in recent years, well documented.
Be careful about felling trees of any size whatever species they are and wherever they may be, fines can be huge if you get it wrong.
It's a hedge not a row of trees approach is the important way forward. But first I'd want to explore why they were planted in the first place, Privacy or wind break or some other reason. You could fell them then regret it in some as yet unknown reason!
"3 inches? Flipping heck, round here we have dandelions with thicker stems than that."
Ha Ha I like this statement.
Last edited: 26 October 2017 12:42:12
If it's a row of conifers you can treat them as a hedge that has been left to run wild by previous owners and cut them to hedge height this year. Next year they'll be a hedge and you can pull them up at will.
I am in West Sussex and the only protected trees are those with a tpo or in the conservation area. The conservation area starts the other side of my property so I could do what I wanted with my trees.
in the last 5 years I have taken down a giant conifer, a old birch tree that was diseased, a gum tree that was far to big for where it was placed and 2 palm trees because I got fed up of clearing up the palms.
Yet in Sheffield they are felling whole streets of trees whether the residents complain or not. In fact there seems no way of stopping the Council/Contractors.