Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011

Tree preservation orders: councils

122.—(1) Where it appears to a council that it is expedient in the interests of amenity to make provision for the preservation of trees or woodlands in its district, it may for that purpose make an order (in this Act referred to as a “tree preservation order”) with respect to such trees, groups of trees or woodlands as may be specified in the order; and in particular, provision may be made by any such order—

(a) for prohibiting (subject to any exemptions for which provision may be made by the order) the cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting, wilful damage or wilful destruction of trees except with the consent of the council, and for enabling the council to give its consent subject to conditions;

(b) for securing the replanting, in such manner as may be specified by or under the order, of any part of a woodland area which is felled in the course of forestry operations permitted by or under the order;

(c) for applying, in relation to any consent under the order and to applications for such consent, any of the provisions of Part 3, subject to such adaptations and modifications as may be specified in the order.

(2) A tree preservation order may be made so as to apply, in relation to trees to be planted pursuant to any such conditions as are mentioned in section 121(a), as from the time when those trees are planted.

(3) A tree preservation order shall not take effect until it is confirmed by the council and the council may confirm any such order either without modification or subject to such modifications as it considers expedient.

(4) The Department may make regulations as to the form of tree preservation orders and the procedure to be followed in connection with the making and confirmation of such orders; and the regulations may, in particular, make provision as follows—

(a) that, before a tree preservation order is confirmed by a council, notice of the making of the order shall be given to the owners and occupiers of land affected by the order and to such other persons, if any, as may be specified in the regulations;

(b) that objections and representations with respect to the order, if duly made in accordance with the regulations, shall be considered before the order is confirmed by the council; and

(c) that copies of the order, when confirmed by the council, must be served on such persons as may be specified in the regulations.

(5) Without prejudice to any other exemptions for which provision may be made by a tree preservation order, no such order shall apply to the cutting down, uprooting, topping or lopping of trees which are dead or have become dangerous or the cutting down, uprooting, topping or lopping of any trees in compliance with any obligations imposed by or under any statutory provision or so far as may be necessary for the prevention or abatement of a nuisance.