TPO & Conservation Areas
From checking tree protection to preparing the paperwork and carrying out the agreed work. Practical help for homeowners and businesses across Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and Dorset.
Tree protection needn’t be confusing.
A tree may be protected by a Tree Preservation Order, known as a TPO, or by its position within a conservation area. These follow different procedures. We help you establish the relevant route and put together a clear proposal.
Whether you need more clearance from a roof, a manageable crown or advice about a damaged tree, start with the problem you want to solve. We’ll discuss suitable work and explain the next step before anything is cut.
How we can help
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Check council protection records
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Assess the tree and proposed work
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Prepare a clear work specification
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Submit agreed applications or notices
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Carry out work once it can lawfully proceed
TPO or conservation area?
We check the tree’s status before recommending the right paperwork.
An application for consent
A TPO can protect individual trees, groups or woodland. Pruning or removal normally needs the council’s written consent unless a specific exception applies.
Allow around 8 weeks
BCP’s standard application process is eight weeks. No reply does not mean a TPO application has been approved.
A notice of proposed work
For qualifying trees without a TPO, a section 211 notice normally gives the council six weeks to consider protection. It can make a TPO during that period.
Normally 6 weeks’ notice
BCP’s guidance generally covers stems over 7.5cm across, measured 1.5m above ground. If a TPO already applies, use the TPO procedure.
Guidance for England. Exceptions and other restrictions can apply; we check the position for your tree. BCP TPO guidance · BCP conservation-area guidance
A clear process from the start.
Tell us about the tree
Send the address, photographs and the result you would like.
Agree the proposal
We check protection, assess the work and explain the quotation.
Prepare and submit
We provide the agreed specification, supporting details and application or notice.
Confirm and carry out
Once the legal position is confirmed, we arrange the work and follow the agreed specification.
Urgent work needs the right approach.
A damaged protected tree does not automatically qualify for emergency removal. Where there is an immediate risk of serious harm, urgent work must be limited to removing that risk, with written notification to the council as soon as practicable.
Dead protected trees normally require advance notice. We can assess the situation and help document the defect and the relevant notification. Keep people away from an unsafe tree and only take photographs from a safe position.
Worried about a tree now?
Call and describe what has changed, where the tree is and what is nearby. We’ll discuss the safest next step.
Government guidance on protected trees
Tell us what you need.
Your tree-work quotation is free and without obligation. Send a few details and photographs so we can discuss the work and identify the council checks needed.
We explain whether a site visit or more detailed specialist evidence is needed before the application progresses.
Useful details for your enquiry
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Property address and postcode
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Photo of the whole tree and its surroundings
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Close-up of any defect, taken safely
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What you would like to achieve
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Previous council decisions or TPO references
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Access details and any time constraints
TPO & conservation-area FAQs
Can you check whether my tree is protected?
Yes. Send the property address, postcode and a photo showing which tree you mean. We can help check the relevant council records and clarify any uncertainty before proposing work.
Can BRW submit the paperwork for me?
We can prepare and submit an agreed tree-work application or conservation-area notice on your behalf. We discuss the proposed work, supporting information and the next steps before submission.
Can a protected tree still be pruned or removed?
Protection does not automatically rule out suitable tree work. The proposal needs a clear specification and reasons. We can explain practical options, but the council decides TPO applications and approval cannot be guaranteed.
How long should I allow?
BCP describes an eight-week TPO application process. A conservation-area notice normally involves six weeks. Missing information or additional enquiries can affect planning, so speak to us before arranging a work date.
What information should I send you?
Send your address and postcode, photographs of the whole tree and any visible defect, what you want to achieve, and any council letters or previous decision notices. Take photographs from a safe position; a site visit may still be needed.
Can you carry out the work once the position is confirmed?
Yes. We can quote for the agreed pruning or removal and plan the job around access, nearby property and the approved specification. Any conditions and applicable notice requirements are checked before work starts.
Protected tree work across Dorset and nearby areas.
Helping homeowners, landlords and businesses plan tree work, with applications sent to the council responsible for the property.
Careful tree work, from the same team.
Not sure where to start?
Send your address and a few tree photos. We’ll explain the next step.