Protected trees - Overview

Havant's trees and woodlands are an important feature of our landscape and townscape, making our borough a greener, healthier and more prosperous place to live and work. Local Planning Authorities such as Havant Borough Council - have statutory planning powers allowing a degree of protection of trees which are of high amenity value.

• Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) may sometimes be made for individual or groups of trees  
• Trees in Conservation Areas – in historic parts of the borough, trees may only be pruned or felled following consultation with the council 
• Trees affected by Planning Permission – when granting planning permission for new developments, the Planning Authority may attach conditions to the permission, safeguarding certain trees for up to five years.

Unauthorised work to a protected tree is a criminal offence. If you deliberately destroy a protected tree, or damage it in a manner likely to destroy it, including root damage, you could be liable to an unlimited fine. You could also be fined if you cause or permit such work.  The council can prosecute when work is carried out on a preserved tree without their consent or without the required notice for a tree in a conservation area or when exemptions are misused (see related pages link to Dangerous, Dead and Nuisance Trees).

If you wish to report unauthorised work please contact Customer Services on 023 9244 6019.

When carrying out work on trees approach only qualified and reputable tree surgeons to obtain quotations for the works, making sure that they are able to carry out the work to British Standard Specification 3998:2010 and that they are fully insured against third party risks etc.