The number of Bolton trees with preservation orders felled

A freedom of information request, submitted by The Bolton News, asked how many trees Bolton Council approved to be felled in areas where there is a Tree Preservation Order for the following periods: Jan - Dec 2022 / Jan - Dec 2023 / Jan - October 2024.

Trees were felled in Moss Bank Park in 2022 due to a parasitic fungus (Image: Martini) The data, which stretches back to January 2022, reveals that the number of felled trees that year was 66, which decreased to 47 in the following year and again in 2024, which saw a total of 35 felled trees.

A Tree Preservation Order is an order made by a local planning authority in England to protect specific trees, groups of trees or woodlands in the interests of amenity.

An Order prohibits the cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting or wilful destruction of trees without the local planning authority’s written consent.

Felling or wilfully damaging protected trees without permission from the council are offences under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. 

It’s important to note that trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or in a Conservation Area will require prior consent from the local authority.

Owners of protected trees must not carry out, or cause or permit the carrying out of, any of the prohibited activities without the written consent of the local authority.

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The local planning authority cannot require maintenance work to be done to a tree just because it is protected.

However, the authority can encourage good tree management, particularly when determining applications for consent under a Tree Preservation Order. This will help to maintain and enhance the amenity provided by protected trees.

(Image: Martini) Cllr Haworth, who represents Farnworth North, said: “It’s a mixed bag of views on trees in Farnworth North.

“Certainly, where Tree Preservation Orders exist many residents feel that this protects some of the lovely trees in our area and protects some of the tree species that are less common, and that people do enjoy seeing.

“There’s also understanding that trees keep streets cooler in hot weather and climate change is producing such variable seasonal weather now.  

“On the other hand and including where we have trees that have no TPO’s at all, residents can find tree growth over the years blocks light available to their homes, large and long branches may add dampness to property when they spread over the tops of roofs, and pavement trees can be hard to manage and need regular attention. Residents do get in touch on tree matters quite regularly.” 

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