Response A1346074

Response to request for information

Reference

A1346074

Response date

24 November 2021

Request

Please can you tell me how many Tree Preservation Orders (TPO's) have been applied to private residential addresses where the TPO has NOT been made as a direct request of the property owners. So these are TPO's that have been applied exclusively by Rushcliffe borough Council without prior discussion with the residential owner. I am interested in the past 10 years if possible or less years if records not stored that far back.

Response

The Council has 313 Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s) that have been made since the late 1960’s. We don’t keep records of who requested the TPO’s or why they were made but almost the entirety will have been made without the prior knowledge of the tree owner. In the last 10 years we can only recall one TPO where the land owner was aware that we were making it.

We don’t notify or consult with tree owners prior to making a TPO as it would provide an opportunity for the tree to be felled before it was protected. When a TPO is made the owner has 28 days in which to object to the Council and as a result we present the objection to the Planning Committee who decide whether or not the TPO should be confirmed. Once a tree is protected applications can be made to the Council to allow pruning or felling, if the application is refused there is an opportunity to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate.