About conservation areas

Tree works in conservation areas

Anyone wanting to carry out works to a tree within a conservation area needs to give the council six weeks notice.  The notice period gives the council the opportunity to consider whether an order should be made to protect the trees, known as a tree preservation order.

Fast-track service

Application for tree works will receive a fast-track service if the scope of works is on the council's 'acceptable conservation area pruning' list.  The fast-track service can guarantee a consent notice within three days of the application being validated.

List of acceptable conservation area pruning:

  • Crown lift up to 2.5m or 30% of tree height but the resulting pruning wounds will be no greater than 100mm
  • Crown lift to 3m where the branches overhang: a driveway or public pavement; or 4.5m where branches overhang a public road
  • Deadwood (customer should retain photos)
  • Cutback from building to allow 2m clearance but the resulting pruning wounds will be no greater than 100mm
  • Remove epicormic (sucker) growth from the base and trunk (up to lowest canopy branch)
  • Thin the tree canopy by no more than 15% and no more frequent than every three years
  • Reduce the tree canopy to previous pruning points as undertaken no less than two years ago and no more than six years.

If your proposed works are detailed in the list and to make sure you receive a fast-track service, please use the same wording detailed in the ‘acceptable conservation area pruning’ list. Applications for works not listed, will be processed within the standard six weeks timeframe. Attaching a photo to your application of what the tree looks like before works will also help us process your application quicker.

To see if the tree you want to carry out works on is within a conservation area, view the online planning map and select the ‘conservation area’ tick box on the side panel.

Apply via the Planning Portal if you would like to apply for the fast-track service.

Standard service

If you do not want to access the fast-track service, you can complete a works to trees application and email this to planning@ealing.gov.uk.  You will need to give the council six weeks notice.