(TPO) Tree Preservation Order Check
Tree protection orders in Moray and Aberdeenshire
TPO Protected Trees
Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are placed on trees by local councils. In most cases it is illegal to fell, prune or cause root damage to TPO’d trees without permission. If you fail to get the necessary permissions, you could be fined. Fines can be £10,000 and upwards depending on the value of the tree.
Moray, Aberdeenshire, and Aberdeen City councils all use Tree Preservation Orders to protect trees.
Epic Tree Care can carry out tree preservation order checks to find out whether they are protected by a TPO. If your tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order, we can inspect, write a tree report and apply for consent for any required works. Our expert written tree reports can help in gaining consent for pruning, felling, or working around protected trees.
Tree Protection Order
Epic Tree Care has developed a strong reputation with local council tree officers in northeast Scotland. We enjoy finding practical tree management and maintenance solutions for protected trees. Where trees are genuinely unsafe or too large for their space, we can document this and apply for tree works to be carried out by our tree surgeons.
If there are concerns for TPO trees safety, or they are damaging buildings and you want to keep them. We’ll work hard to find innovative solutions to help your retain them, safely and with minimal harm to the surroundings.
Sometimes innovative building works around and accommodating the tree can extend a trees life span for a significant time after it would otherwise have been removed.
Frequently Asked Questions
I recently bought a property with mature trees on it. How do I know if they are protected?
Determining if a tree is protected is a straightforward process. All you have to do is conduct a tree preservation order check. You can do that by going to your local council website where they will have a list of all trees in the area with TPOs assigned to them. If the website is down you can contact the local council planning department directly. They will be able to tell you which, if any, trees on your property are protected.
Can I have a protected tree felled to make room for a home extension or other development?
Not without permission from the local council. And unless you have a genuinely compelling reason for felling the tree it is unlikely permission will be granted. However, it may be possible to relocate the protected tree. But again, you will need approval from the local council to do that. If the council agrees the tree can be moved the experts at Epic Tree Care can move it for you quickly and safely.
Can I remove a protected tree that has died?
If you conducted a tree preservation order check and discovered a tree on your property was protected by an active TPO the question arises whether you can fell that tree if it has died. The law states you may be able to remove a dead tree without council approval even if that tree was under a TPO. Be aware, however, that the onus to prove the tree was actually dead will fall upon you. For that reason, it is advisable to take photos and even keep samples of the tree. Or better yet, call the pros at Epic Tree Care who can verify for you if the tree is dead or not. Be aware that even though the law provides the right to remove a dead tree without council permission you can make your life easier by keeping the local council informed of your situation and intentions.
If a protected tree on my property causes damage to a neighbour’s property am I responsible?
Let’s say a tree preservation order check reveals a protected tree on your property. You apply to the local council to have the tree felled and they refuse. That tree then goes on to cause damage to a neighbour’s property. Will the local council cover the cost of those damages? It depends on how the damage was caused as well as the amount of damage. If a professional determines the damage could have been avoided if the tree had been felled, the council may reimburse.
If a protected tree needs to be pruned will the local council pay for it?
Even if the local council refused your application to fell the protected tree they are not liable to cover the cost of maintenance, including pruning. The property owner is responsible for the maintenance of all trees on their property, protected or not.
We operate with £10 million Public Liability Insurance and £10 million Employers Liability Insurance
Qualifications list
Inspection
Professional Tree Inspection: Lantra Professional Tree Inspection
Lifting Equipment: City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Thorough Examination of Arboricultural Equipment
Base
Woodchipper: Lantra Woodchippers
Stumpgrinder: Lantra Stumpgrinders
Chainsaw: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Chainsaw Maintenance and Cross-cutting
Chainsaw: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Ground Based Chainsaw Operator
Chainsaw (200-380mm): City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Felling Small Trees up to 380mm
Chainsaw (over 380): City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Felling and Processing Trees over 380mm
Windblow: City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Severing Uprooted or Windblown Trees using a Chainsaw
Assisted Fell: City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Assisted Fell Operations
Working at Height
Rescue: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Tree Climbing and Aerial Rescue
Chainsaw: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Using a Chainsaw from a Rope and Harness
Chainsaw: City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Aerial Tree Pruning
Chainsaw: City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Aerial Cutting of Trees with a Chainsaw Using Free-fall Techniques
Rigging: City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Aerial Tree Rigging
Utilities
Utility Arboriculture: City & Guilds NPTC Level 3 Utility Arboriculture Basic Electrical Knowledge
Machinery
Chokerman – Skyline: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Chokerman
Base Skidder: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Base Machine with Skidder
Forwarder: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Base Machine with Forwarder
Mulcher: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Flail/Mulcher
Felling: City & Guilds NPTC Level 2 Forest Machine Operations – Felling
First Aid
First Aid: Emergency First Aid at Work + Forestry