Not all work to be carried out on protected trees is required to follow the normal procedures. This can be for either a Tree Preservation Order or in Conservation Areas.
The most common exceptions are:
- the cutting down of dead or dangerous trees
- the removal of dead or dangerous branches of otherwise healthy or safe trees
For more information about exceptions please read these documents:
- The Council's dead and dangerous tree advice note
- The guide to tree preservation procedures
Dead, Dying or Dangerous Trees
You may need to prune or cut down a tree that presents an urgent and serious safety risk or cut down a dead tree.
However, before you do, you should complete a dead and dangerous tree notice online form, giving the Council as much prior notice as is reasonably practicable.
Dead and dangerous tree online form
Sometimes, the work is so urgent that it is not possible to provide notice before hand. In such cases, please read the dead and dangerous tree advice note for information on how to continue.
You may wish to cut down a dying tree or remove dying branches from a tree. If so, you will now need to submit a full tree works application. This is because carrying out this work is no longer regarded as an exception.
Tree Work Exception
There are also other exception which include:
- To comply with an Act of Parliament
- To prevent or abate a nuisance
- Necessary to implement a planning permission
- On fruit trees
- By or for statutory undertakers
- For highway operations
If works are proposed for one of the above reasons, please complete the below tree exception notification form:
Tree exception notification form
If you are notifying the council of proposed works in more than one location, please complete and provide a form for each parish.
Please note for epicormic growth removal the above form is not required. Please email planning@cornwall.gov.uk with your request.