Cardiff has a surprising number of conservation areas. Some cover the grand Victorian streets near the city centre, others the old village cores that the city grew around, such as Llandaff with its cathedral green. Many of them are leafy by design, and the trees are a big part of why they were protected in the first place.
That means a job that would be simple in most gardens, like taking down a tired cherry or reducing a sycamore that shades the lawn, can need paperwork first. None of this is meant to put you off. It is a matter of doing things in the right order. This guide sets out what we look into before any tree surgery in the city. We are landscapers, not planners, so always confirm the details with Cardiff Council.
Step one: is the house in a conservation area?
Plenty of people only find out when they come to sell, or when a neighbour mentions it. Cardiff Council publishes the boundaries of its conservation areas, and your house deeds or the searches from when you bought may mention it too. The boundary does not always follow a whole street, so check your own address rather than assuming.
If you are not in a conservation area and the tree has no preservation order, the council's consent is not normally needed for work in your own garden. Our general guide, do you need permission to cut down a tree in Wales?, covers the rules outside conservation areas.
Step two: does the tree have its own protection?
A tree preservation order, or TPO, can apply to a single tree, a group or a whole woodland, inside or outside a conservation area. Where a TPO exists, you need the council's consent before cutting, lopping, uprooting or felling, and an application rather than a simple notice is usually required.
Older suburbs such as Llandaff, Whitchurch and Rhiwbina have many large, mature trees that were planted when the streets were laid out, and some of those carry orders. Ask the council directly. It is a free enquiry and saves a lot of worry.
How the six-week notice works
In a conservation area, trees that are not covered by a TPO are still protected in a lighter way. As a general rule, if the trunk is more than 7.5 centimetres across when measured 1.5 metres above the ground, you must give the council six weeks' written notice before pruning or felling it.
During those six weeks the council looks at whether the tree matters enough to the area to justify a preservation order. If it does nothing by the end of the period, the work can usually go ahead, though normally within a limited time afterwards. If it makes an order, you would then need to apply for consent in the usual way.
- Describe the tree clearly: species if you know it, rough height, and where it stands in the garden.
- Say exactly what you want done, for example crown lifting to a set height or reducing the crown by a stated amount.
- Include a simple sketch plan and a photo or two.
- Keep a copy of what you sent and note the date.
There are some exceptions, such as dead or dangerous trees, but they are narrow and it is safer to check with the council before relying on one.
Wildlife checks, whatever the paperwork says
Council consent is only half the picture. Nesting birds are protected by law, so heavy pruning or felling in the main nesting season, roughly early spring through summer, needs a careful look for active nests first. City gardens with thick ivy and old hedges are popular with blackbirds, robins and wrens.
Bats also roost in older trees, particularly in cracks, hollows and under loose bark, and they are protected too. If there are signs of bats, work may need to stop until proper advice has been taken. We look for these things before any saw starts.
Working with neighbours and the street
Conservation area gardens in Cardiff tend to be close together, and a big tree rarely affects one household alone. If branches overhang from next door, you can usually cut them back to the boundary, but the wood belongs to the tree's owner and the protection rules still apply. A quick conversation beforehand avoids most disputes.
Access can be the trickiest part. Many of these houses have no side passage, so branches and logs come out through the house or over a wall. Where a lorry or chipper has to stand in the road, parking controls or a council licence may be needed. We plan that side of things as part of the quote.
What the council tends to look at
Every case is judged on its own merits, but councils generally weigh up how visible the tree is from public places, its health and expected life, and how much the work would change the look of the street. Sensible pruning to keep a tree healthy or reduce its spread is often treated very differently from removing a prominent tree outright.
If a tree is causing real problems, such as blocking all light to a small garden, it may be worth asking about reduction or crown lifting before felling. Our guide to felling or pruning helps you weigh the choices, and when trees should be pruned covers timing through the year.
How we handle a Cardiff tree job
We start with a visit. Tony and the team look at the tree, the garden, the access and the neighbours' side, then suggest what work would do the job with the least harm to the tree. We can help you describe that work clearly for your notice, and we wait for the council's answer before starting.
On the day, we protect the garden and the house, bring branches down in controlled sections, and take the green waste away with us. Our guide to what happens on the day a tree surgeon visits walks through the process.
If the work is part of a wider plan, such as letting light into a garden before a new lawn goes in, see our advice on growing a lawn in a shaded Cardiff garden, or read more about our work across the city on our Cardiff landscaping page. For a free visit and quote, get in touch.
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Questions People Ask
Do I need permission to prune a small tree in a Cardiff conservation area?
Very small trees, below the trunk size mentioned above, generally fall outside the notice rules, but a TPO can still apply. If you are unsure, ask Cardiff Council before any work starts.
Is there a fee for giving notice?
Councils have not usually charged for conservation area tree notices, but practice can change. Check the council's current guidance when you send yours.
Can you start work before the six weeks are up?
Only if the council confirms in writing that it has no objection. Otherwise we wait for the full period to pass.
Does the notice cover hedges?
Hedges made up of small shrubs are not normally covered, but hedges containing trees above the size limit may be. Our guide to hedge trimming covers timing and nesting birds.
What happens if tree work is done without notice?
Unauthorised work on protected trees can lead to enforcement action and a requirement to replant. It is always worth making the checks first.