Trees and hedgerows

Tree Preservation Orders in South Derbyshire

We are currently receiving a high number of planning applications which is resulting in delays to our usual response times. We are determining applications and responding to enquiries in the order they are received. We will respond as soon as possible.


Trees are the responsibility of the owner of the land where they are located.

Some trees are protected by Tree Preservation Orders, which means our permission is needed to prune or chop them down. Most trees in conservation areas are also protected

The Government provides planning guidance on Tree Preservation Orders and trees in conservation areas.

Is my tree protected?

You can view the map above or contact us to check whether your tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order, by planning constraints or because it is in a conservation area.

Work on protected trees

If you would like to carry out work on a protected tree on your property you must apply for written consent. Full details of what you need to provide are on the application form.

Use our Tree Care Guide (pdf, 267kb) to help you describe the works required for your application.

South Derbyshire Tree Management Policy

The South Derbyshire Tree Management Policy (docx, 150kb) has been adopted for the management of all trees on Council-owned land.

The policy is intended to:

  • act as a source of information about issues affecting trees within the District
  • provide a policy framework for decisions made by the Council that affect trees
  • help make South Derbyshire a better place to live, work and visit

Hedgerows

Hedgerow regulations are used to preserve countryside hedges considered important for archaeological, historical, environmental or landscape reasons. Hedges around gardens and grounds of buildings are not protected by the regulations.

It is a criminal offence to remove hedgerows classed as important. If you are considering removing a hedgerow, you must notify us, showing the location of the hedges and giving reasons for removal. More guidance on the law and planning procedure is available from Natural England.  

High hedges

Part eight of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 gives us power to deal with complaints about high hedges.

In a very limited number of instances, high growing hedges are used to intimidate and aggravate neighbour disputes. Provided you have exhausted all other ways of resolving your dispute, you can submit a complaint about a neighbour's evergreen hedge by emailing our Environmental Health department.

There is a fee for this service, which is listed under ‘High Hedge dispute’ in our fees page. 

The Office for the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM) has published a simple guide about how to complain and the legal processes involved. 

Our decision about whether to use the powers in the act are dependent on statutory guidance issued.