Tree Preservation Orders are made by a Planning Authority under Section 160 of the Town
and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by the Planning etc (Scotland) Act
2006 and within the procedures set out in the Town and Country Planning (Tree
Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. They
are an effective means of protecting individual trees, groups of trees or woodlands whose
removal would have significant impact on the public amenity of an area.
Where protection is given by a TPO, prior consent in writing is required from the Council to
carry out any work on the trees. It is an offence to cut down, lop, top, uproot or wilfully
damage or destroy a protected tree without the Council¿s permission.
An owner wishing to carry out work on a tree must apply online at the Scottish Government¿s
e-planning system at https://eplanning.scotland.gov.uk/WAM/.
