Protected trees

Dangerous protected trees may present an immediate risk of serious harm or be considered an imminent danger. Different rules for works on these trees apply. 

Immediate risk of serious harm

Where a protected tree presents an immediate risk of serious harm and work is urgently needed to remove that risk, tree owners or their agents must give written notice to the authority as soon as practicable after that work becomes necessary. Work should only be carried out to the extent that it is necessary to remove the risk.

Imminent danger

Dangerous trees will be considered an imminent danger (likely to cause harm in the near future) to people or property if the tree has no living parts or the tree and its parts are cracked, split or visibly shifting in the ground.

You do not need to make an application to make an imminently dangerous tree safe, but you are expected to give the council  5 days' notices if it is safe to do so. You can use our contact us form to submit a 5 day notice. 

Most knowledgeable tree surgery companies will be able to process the 5-day notification on your behalf. To help, we have a list of local tree surgery contractors. 

If you do not provide 5 days’ notice to the council or evidence of why the tree or part of the tree was considered imminently dangerous, it is considered as unauthorised works.

Replacement of trees

There is an automatic duty on the landowner to replace any protected trees that are removed because they are dangerous. This duty transfers to any future landowners.