Protected Trees: TPO and Conservation Area Tree Work in Northampton
Careful, by-the-book work on trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order or standing in a conservation area, across Northampton and the surrounding towns.
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Tree Work on Protected Trees in Northampton, Done the Right Way
Northampton Tree Surgeons arranges protected trees (tpo) across Northampton and the surrounding towns and villages, carried out by NPTC-qualified, fully insured tree surgery teams.
A TPO is an order made by the local planning authority to protect specific trees. Without the council's written consent, it is an offence to cut down, top, lop, uproot or wilfully damage a tree it covers. Trees in a conservation area get similar protection through a notice system instead.
Plenty of Northampton gardens are affected. West Northamptonshire Council's conservation area list includes Abington Park, Billing Road, Derngate, All Saints, St Giles, Boot and Shoe, Delapre Park, Weston Favell, Kingsthorpe, Duston, Hardingstone, Great Billing, Moulton and Brixworth. Protection is not always obvious from the street, so our team checks before any cutting starts. This is general guidance, not legal advice; the council's decision is what counts.
How to Check if Your Tree Is Protected
West Northamptonshire Council (Northampton, Daventry, Towcester and nearby villages): use the council's interactive map with the TPO and Conservation Area layers on. It is indicative only, so confirm by emailing planning@westnorthants.gov.uk; a copy of a TPO is listed at £42. North Northamptonshire Council (Wellingborough, Earls Barton): use its protected trees mapping, which also shows revoked orders, so treat it as a guide; copies of a TPO are listed at £32 from planning@northnorthants.gov.uk. Harborough District Council (Market Harborough): search the Register of TPOs and conservation area map; queries go to planning@harborough.gov.uk. Fees as listed in November 2026. We look up the status for your address before any quote is final.
TPO trees need written consent. The council aims to decide within 8 weeks, consent normally lasts 2 years, and a refusal can be appealed to the Planning Inspectorate within 28 days. West and North Northamptonshire both state there is no fee, and applications go through the Planning Portal. Councils want exact work for each tree: North Northamptonshire says words like "cut back" or "lop" are too vague. Where evidence is needed, a tree survey can provide it. Conservation area trees without a TPO need six weeks' written notice for trunks over 75mm across; if no TPO is made, the work can go ahead within 2 years. Dead or dangerous trees: give 5 working days' written notice for a dead protected tree, or written notice as soon as practicable where there is an immediate risk of serious harm, and keep photos as evidence. A replacement is normally required. If a tree is known to support a bat roost, Natural England must be consulted. Unauthorised work can mean a fine of up to £20,000 in the magistrates' court and an unlimited fine in the Crown Court. Common applications are crown reduction and crown thinning; where felling is approved, see tree removal, or for overgrown screens leylandii and conifer removal.
How We Approach Protected Tree Work
- Check the status
We look at the council map or register for your address and flag anything to confirm with the council.
- Write a clear specification
Species, location and exact work for each tree, ready for the application or notice.
- Support the application
Online through the Planning Portal or on the council's paper form.
- Do exactly what's approved
Once consent is granted or the notice period has passed, we carry out the work as written and nothing more.
- Tidy finish
Arisings chipped and removed, the site left clear.
Protected Trees (TPO): Common Questions
Does it cost anything to apply for TPO consent?
West Northamptonshire and North Northamptonshire councils both state there is no fee for tree works applications or conservation area notices. Harborough's tree work page does not mention a fee.
How long does the council take?
For a TPO tree, the council aims to decide within 8 weeks. For a conservation area tree without a TPO, the notice period is 6 weeks.
Can I remove dead branches from a protected tree?
Harborough District Council says dead branches on a living tree can be removed without notice or consent. For a whole dead tree, you must give 5 working days' written notice first.
The council map shows a TPO, but the tree has gone. Is it still protected?
The councils say their maps are a guide only and the legal order takes precedence. Ask the council's planning team to confirm before any work.
Do bats affect protected tree work?
They can. West and North Northamptonshire councils both note that Natural England must be consulted if a tree is known to support a bat roost, even where council consent is not needed.
Protected Trees (TPO) Across the Area
Our teams carry out protected trees (tpo) in Northampton and these nearby towns.
Related Services
Tree Removal
Safe felling and sectional dismantling of dangerous, diseased or unwanted trees, with the site left clear.
Crown Reduction
Shorten and reshape a tree that has outgrown its space while keeping its natural shape and health.
Crown Thinning
Selectively remove branches to let light and wind through the canopy without changing the tree's size.
Crown Lifting
Remove lower branches to raise the canopy and clear paths, roads, windows and driveways.
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