East Suffolk Council

Tree Preservation Orders (TPO)s

A Tree Preservation Order (TPO) is an order made by the local planning authority which makes it an offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy a tree without the planning authority’s permission.

The purpose of a Tree Preservation Order is to protect trees that make a significant impact on their local surroundings.

All types of trees can be covered by a Tree Preservation Order, including hedgerow trees, and it can cover anything from a single tree to woodlands.

All tree works, other than exceptional circumstances described below, require written permission from the Council which should be applied for using the forms available via the link below. Forms can be posted to:

Planning Department, East Suffolk Council, Riverside, 4 Canning Road, Lowestoft NR33 0EQ.

Or forms can be scanned or photographed and emailed to planning@eastsuffolk.gov.uk.

The Department of Communities and Local Government have produced a leaflet called Protected Trees: A Guide to Tree Preservation Procedures written for the benefit of tree owners, the general public and amenity groups, and answers some of the most common questions asked about tree preservation procedures. It is for guidance only and is not a statement of law.

Exceptional circumstances

In some cases a formal application and written permission from the Council may not be necessary before undertaking works.

These include;

• Making a tree safe if it is an imminent threat to people or property
• Removing dead wood, or a dead tree

If the owner is in any doubt on these matters they should check with the Council at treesandlandscape@eastsuffolk.gov.uk.

If you consider the work to be exempt you are still required to give 5 days notice to the local planning authority, although the forms should not be used but rather notice should be given by email or a written note. You should supply photographic evidence to support your view that the work is exempt.

This is required as a replacement tree is often a legal requirement.

Please note: TPOs in the former Suffolk Coastal District Council area are currently under review and there may be changes to previously assumed Orders. Please use the link below to check on the current situation.

Click on the map symbol to see full TPO details.

Application for works to trees subject to a TPO

Guidance notes

View the location and details of all current East Suffolk Council TPOs using our online geographical information system (GIS)