More Information
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- Getting Consent to Work on a Protected Tree
- How is a decision made - Conservation Area Notification?
- How is a decision made - Tree Preservation Order Application?
Doncaster Council’s permission is needed before carrying out most works to protected trees. This page sets out Doncaster Council’s procedures for applying to work on trees that are subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or are situated within a Conservation Area.
Anyone, you do not have to have a legal interest in the land; for example, you can apply to carry out work on trees on a neighbour’s land. You are advised to consult the owner of the tree(s) before making an application and you must get their permission, in addition to that of Doncaster Council, before carrying out any work.
From 1st October 2008* all applications to work on trees protected by a TPO MUST be made on Doncaster Council’s application form or on-line on the standard application form via the Planning Portal. Notifications of work to trees within a Conservation Area can be submitted either on the application form, via the Planning Portal or by letter but this must still include all the information required by the form. It is important that you read the guidance notes at the bottom of this section before filling the form in.
It is essential that an application CLEARLY sets out what work is proposed. A proposal simply to ‘cut back branches’ is too vague because it fails to describe the extent of the work. Equally, a proposal to fell a tree will not be acceptable unless it is clear which tree is to be felled. Where an application is made for more than one tree it must be clear which operations are specified for each tree. You may find it helpful to consult a Tree Work Contractor or to discuss the proposal informally with the Council before making an application.
Please be aware that Doncaster Council will not be able to validate any application that is vague or incomplete. Please read the guidance notes carefully and make sure that all the information required by the application form is included.
*In accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Trees)(Amendment)(England) Regulations 2008.
Your application will be checked within two working days of receipt to ensure that it includes all of the information required and clearly sets out what work is proposed. Applications that do not meet the specified criteria will be sent back to the applicant. If the proposed work does not need consent, we will inform you as soon as possible.
If acceptable, your application will be validated and you will be sent an acknowledgement letter, which will contain:
an application reference number,
the name and contact details of the officer dealing with your application, and
the date when you should receive a decision.
Please note that where an application is submitted on your behalf by an agent, for example an arboricultural contractor, all correspondence will be sent to the agent.
We will send a letter to the local Parish Council and to immediate neighbours informing them of the application and giving them an opportunity to comment on your proposal. In addition, where an application is likely to generate a good deal of public interest, Doncaster Council may choose to display a site notice and advertise the application in the newspaper. Details of your application will also be placed in a public register of tree work applications, which is available for public inspection at the Planning Department’s offices.
You will be given the date by which Doncaster Council should make a decision in the acknowledgement letter.
For a Tree Preservation Order application this is 8 weeks from the date of registration, although we aim to make a decision within 6 weeks. If we do not make a decision within 8 weeks you are entitled to appeal to the Secretary of State on the grounds of non-determination. You are not allowed to carry out the works.
For trees within a Conservation Area, this is 6 weeks from the date of registration. At the end of the 6 weeks you are permitted to carry out the works if you have not heard from us.
Contact the officer dealing with your application. Please have the application reference number to hand. Details will be given in the acknowledgement letter.
Progress can also be checked on-line via Doncaster Council's Public Access for Planning
For most applications an officer will visit the site to assess the impact of the proposed work in detail. Due to the large number of applications received we are unable to make booked appointments for assessing applications. Your application is taken as an invitation to enter your property to view the tree(s) and the legislation also permits this.
Where an application conforms to pre-application advice, is minor, or is made by a contractor known to carry out work to a high standard, a site visit may not always be needed.
The decision that Doncaster Council can make is different for a Tree Preservation Order application and a Conservation Area notification. In both cases Doncaster Council follows the good practice guidance set out in Tree Preservation Orders: A Guide to the Law and Good Practice (Department of Communities and Local Government, 2000).
