Protected Trees: TPO and Conservation Area Tree Work in Worthing

Conservation Areas, Checking, and How Consent Works

Conservation areas are not just old villages. Adur & Worthing Councils list 27 in Worthing alone, including Broadwater, Broadwater Green, Durrington, Goring, Goring Hall, Salvington and Heene, and town and seafront areas such as Steyne Gardens, Marine Parade and Hinterland, Marine Gardens and Park Crescent. Adur has seven (Old Shoreham, Shoreham-by-Sea, Sompting, North Lancing, Kingston Buci, Southlands and Southwick). Arun's include Angmering, East Preston, Ferring and Rustington, plus three in Littlehampton, and Findon has the Findon and Nepcote areas. In any of these, garden trees are protected even without an order; only trees with a stem no more than 75 mm across, measured 1.5 m above the ground, are exempt.

To check a tree: Adur & Worthing have two online TPO registers (Worthing and Adur) searchable by address or reference, plus conservation area maps. Arun has an interactive map showing TPOs in green and conservation areas in blue, and suggests checking the planning history as landscaping conditions can protect trees too. In Findon, ask the National Park Authority.

A tree with a TPO needs written consent before it is cut down, topped, lopped, uprooted or damaged, and government guidance says cutting roots needs consent too. Applications go through the Planning Portal. There is no fee, allow up to eight weeks for a decision, consent normally lasts two years, and a refusal can be appealed to the Planning Inspectorate within 28 days. A tree in a conservation area without a TPO needs six weeks' written notice; the council can use that time to make a TPO, and if it does nothing the work can go ahead within two years. The application must say clearly what is proposed: "reduce the crown by up to 2 m to suitable growth points" can be assessed, "cut back" cannot.

Dead, Dying or Dangerous Trees

For a dead tree give at least five working days' written notice. Arun says a diseased or dying tree that is not dangerous still needs a normal application. If a tree poses an immediate risk of serious harm, only the work needed to make it safe should be done and the council told in writing as soon as practicable; Arun asks you to photograph the tree and keep sections of timber as evidence, and to contact parks@arun.gov.uk. A replacement tree is usually required. Working on a protected tree without permission is a criminal offence, with fines of up to £20,000 in the magistrates' court and unlimited fines in the Crown Court. Where the council needs evidence about a tree's condition, a tree survey can support the application. For tall conifer screens, see leylandii and conifer removal.