Any tree species, including fruit trees, can be protected by a TPO. Trees are assessed on their own merits according to certain criteria, such as health and stability, visibility from a public place, contribution to the character of a locality, cultural, historic and habitat value as well as rarity. If the tree scores highly enough and is considered to be under threat, it may be possible to make a TPO.
The types of trees that can be protected under a TPO are as follows:
Individually specified trees
An Individual TPO protects trees that have grown up individually and are largely unaffected by competition from nearby trees. These will be individually named and numbered represented as individual black circles on the TPO plan, for Example: T1 Oak.
Groups of trees
A Group TPO protects trees that have grown up as part of a group of trees that have become co-dependant on one another affording each other mutual shelter. These will be represented as a broken black line on the TPO plan and the numbers of each different tree will be recorded, for example: G1 2 Oak and 1 Beech.
Trees specified by reference to an area
An Area TPO (commonly mis-named a ‘blanket TPO’) protects all the trees that are present within an area at the time the Order was made. Each area will be represented as a dotted black line on the TPO plan but the numbers and/or types of trees will not be recorded, for example: A1.
Woodlands
A Woodland TPO protects all trees within the defined area present and future; it is the woodland that is being protected not specific trees. It is expected that in a woodland trees will decline and fall and others will grow up to replace them in a continuous self-perpetuating dynamic. Each woodland will be represented as a solid black line on the TPO plan, for example: W1.
It is possible for a single TPO to protect many trees with a variety of designations, for example: a single TPO could protect individually specified trees, groups of trees, areas of trees and areas of woodland.
Conservation areas
There’s a general assumption that all trees in a conservation area are automatically protected and especially if the tree is 75mm (3 inches) or more in diameter at 1.5m height or more, above ground level.
