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All bin collections following a bank holiday will now take place one day late from 29 March to 6 April. See our Easter Bin Collection page for further details.

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Trees & Hedges: TPOs and Conservation Areas

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1. Tree Preservation Orders

Many trees in Exeter are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s) and trees in conservation areas are given automatic protection. If your tree is protected in either of these ways then you will need to apply for permission before doing any works.

If you require a copy of any TPO on or affecting your property please contact us online with the address, or preferably, the reference number of the TPO.

TPO trees

A TPO is made to preserve trees with a landscape and/or amenity value.

It is illegal to cut down, top, lop, uproot, damage or destroy a tree protected by a TPO, however If the tree is dead or dangerous and immediate work is needed then you should:

  • Contact us with the location details, photos if possible, details of intended works and telephone number. Works must not commence (except if the tree is causing serious harm) until agreed in writing with the Council.

  • If emergency works are needed without agreement from the council, then you are advised to take photographic evidence of the tree before the works are done, and only undertake the minimal amount of work to make the tree safe, as it is a criminal offence to do such works to a tree without consent and it can result in a fine.

If you want to undertake works to a tree which has a preservation order on it you will need to complete and submit an application form.