Trees in conservation areas

Trees in conservation areas have protection even if they don't have a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). Carrying out unauthorised work on a protected tree is a criminal offence.

If you live in a Conservation Area and want to work on trees, legally you must give us 6 weeks written notice before work begins.

For more information on TPOs and how to apply please visit our webpage.

Conservation area tree works notices are available to view on our website. We will try to contact tree owners when a neighbour submits a notice. The parishes are automatically notified of all tree work notices.

If the trees stand in a Church of England graveyard within a conservation area, or there are Tree Preservation Orders, you will need to submit a tree works notice to us and a faculty application to the Diocese of Ely.

Submit a tree works application

If you need to submit a notification and you are not sure what to apply for, it is best to discuss your options with a tree surgeon first. You can search through the Arboricultural Association Approved Contractor Directory. You should choose your contractor carefully, please do not use tradespeople who knock on your door without being invited. No tree surgeon has special permission to prune protected trees without submitting a notification.

Once you know what works you want to apply for go to the Planning Portal to submit a tree works notification.

After the tree works notice is validated the Trees Officer reviews the proposed works and may undertake a site visit. We might contact you for further information or to suggest amending the tree works notice.

There are 3 possible outcomes to a tree work notice:

• no objection and we will inform the person who gave notice that the work can go ahead
• objection and make a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or
• decide not to make an Order and allow the 6-week notice period to end, after which the proposed work may be done within 2 years of the date of the notice.

Unfortunately we can only expedite genuine emergency tree work notices.