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Search any UK property to check for individual, group, woodland or area Tree Preservation Orders and the consent rules that follow.
Updated: as local authorities issue new orders · Last checked by Maplify: July 2026
This layer plots Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) made by Local Planning Authorities under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. TPOs protect trees and woodlands "in the interests of amenity", prohibiting cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting or wilful damage without the authority's written consent. Protection covers the whole tree — roots, trunk, branches and foliage — not just the visible canopy.
England has over 250,000 individually protected trees, made under four order types: Individual Tree Orders for single specimen trees, Group Orders for cohesive groups such as avenues, Woodland Orders covering a defined woodland area, and Area Orders covering every tree within a boundary, commonly used on housing estates.
TPOs directly affect what a landowner, developer or contractor can legally do to a tree, and unauthorised works are a criminal offence under Section 210 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Checking this layer before any tree work, garden landscaping or development proposal avoids inadvertently committing an offence and the substantial fines that follow.
For development sites, TPO trees can materially constrain the buildable area through Root Protection Areas, meaning the designation is often checked at feasibility stage, well before a formal arboricultural survey is commissioned.
Individual Tree Order
Protection for a specific specimen tree of high amenity value — an ancient oak, rare species or landmark tree.
Group Order
Protection for a group of trees forming a cohesive feature, such as avenue planting or an amenity group.
Woodland Order
Protection for a defined woodland area as a whole, including semi-natural and ancient woodland sites.
Area Order
Protection for all trees within a defined area, commonly used on housing estates and in public parks.
Development sites with TPO trees generally require an Arboricultural Impact Assessment following BS 5837:2012, including a tree survey, calculated Root Protection Areas and a Tree Protection Plan submitted alongside the planning application. Encroachment into a Root Protection Area may require specialist no-dig construction methods or a redesigned layout to keep structures and services clear of root systems.
A TPO does not prevent development outright, but it does mean tree removal or works require the local planning authority's consent — applications are free and must be determined within eight weeks, and consent can be refused or granted subject to replacement planting conditions.
Confirm the exact order type and protected trees with the local planning authority's tree officer.
Commission a BS 5837:2012 tree survey and Arboricultural Impact Assessment if any development is proposed near a protected tree.
Apply for TPO consent before any felling, pruning or works likely to affect the tree's roots.
Check whether the site also sits within a conservation area, which brings a six-week notice requirement even for unprotected trees.
Budget for replacement planting conditions if removal or significant works are unavoidable.
This is general guidance, not professional or legal advice — confirm specifics with the relevant authority or a qualified professional.
Property Developers
Identify TPO constraints on Root Protection Areas before finalising a site layout.
Planning Consultants
Advise clients on consent requirements and likely conditions for affected schemes.
Architects
Design around retained trees and their protected root zones from the earliest stage.
Surveyors
Flag TPO trees during condition surveys and valuation reports.
Landowners
Understand what garden or land management works require consent before commissioning them.
Environmental Consultants
Cross-reference TPO trees with wider ecological surveys and habitat assessments.
Tree protection checks are commonly run alongside these related layers.
How do I check if a tree has a Tree Preservation Order?
Search the site on Maplify and enable the Tree Preservation Orders layer. Protected trees, groups, woodlands and areas are shown against the local authority record.
What work can I do to a TPO tree without consent?
Very little. Written consent is generally required before felling, topping, lopping, pruning branches over 75mm diameter or root severance over 25mm diameter — dead, dying or dangerous tree exemptions apply in limited circumstances and should be confirmed with the local authority first.
What are the penalties for unauthorised works to a protected tree?
Deliberate destruction or damage can carry an unlimited fine, felling a protected tree without consent can carry a fine up to £20,000 in the Magistrates' Court, and breaching a TPO condition can carry a fine up to £1,000.
Do TPOs apply to trees in conservation areas?
Trees in a conservation area without a specific TPO still require six weeks' notice (a Section 211 notice) to the local planning authority before most works, giving the council the opportunity to make a new TPO.
How do TPOs affect a development site?
Development sites containing TPO trees generally require an Arboricultural Impact Assessment under BS 5837:2012, including Root Protection Areas and a Tree Protection Plan, which can constrain layout, access and foundation design.
Can a TPO be removed to allow development?
A TPO can be varied or revoked by the local planning authority, but this is uncommon and requires a strong justification — a felling licence or planning permission does not automatically override a TPO.
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| Provider | Local Planning Authorities / Planning.data.gov.uk |
| Geometry type | Point (individual trees) and Polygon (groups, woodlands, areas) |
| Coverage | England |
| Update schedule | Quarterly check against published local authority orders |
| Reference date | July 2026 |
| Licence | Open Government Licence v3.0 |
