Leeds · York · all of Yorkshire

Is your tree protected?
Free TPO check.

Run a free Tree Preservation Order check on your postcode: see in seconds whether your tree has a TPO or sits in a conservation area before any work starts. We cover Leeds, York and the wider Yorkshire area, and can handle the council application for you.

Free instant check

Check your postcode

Enter a UK postcode to see whether it falls inside a conservation area or has Tree Preservation Orders registered nearby on the national planning register.

Step by step

How to check if a tree is protected

1
Enter your postcode. Type the postcode of the tree into the checker above and press Check postcode. It geocodes the address, then queries the national planning register.
2
Read the two results. You get a card for each protection: whether the postcode sits inside a conservation area, and whether any Tree Preservation Orders are registered nearby.
3
Act on a protected result. If either card flags, you need the council’s consent before any work: written consent for a TPO, or six weeks’ written notice in a conservation area.
4
Get it confirmed on site. The register is a guide, not the final word: some councils haven’t published everything to it. We verify the status of every tree on site before we quote, and handle the application for you.

A green tick on both cards means there’s nothing on the register at that postcode. A warning on either means a protection applies and you’ll need the council’s sign-off first, which is usually straightforward, and something we do all the time.

If it’s protected

We handle the council paperwork

A protected tree isn’t a dead end: it just means consent first. We prepare and submit the application, deal with the tree officer, and only start once it’s approved. TPO consent takes up to eight weeks; conservation-area work needs six weeks’ written notice. Either way, you stay the right side of the law without touching the admin.

Found a protection on your tree?
We’ll sort the consent.

A free site visit, the definitive protection status confirmed, and the council application handled end to end. Written quote, no obligation.

Book a site visit

Your local authority

Which council covers you

The rules are national, but you apply to whichever planning authority covers the tree. Across our patch that means:

Leeds City Council Leeds and the surrounding suburbs
City of York Council York and its villages
Wakefield Council Wakefield and the south of our patch
North Yorkshire Council Selby, Tadcaster and the corridor east
Bradford Council Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale

Whichever it is, the process is the same, and we handle it for you.

TPO check questions

Questions about checking your tree

How does the TPO checker work?

It turns your postcode into a map location, then checks the national planning register (planning.data.gov.uk) for conservation areas and Tree Preservation Orders registered nearby, the same open data the councils publish. It runs in your browser and gives an instant guide to whether the trees at that address are likely protected.

Is the check free?

Yes, completely free, with no report fee and nothing to sign up for. The council’s official Local Land Charges search is the definitive record, but it typically costs around £20–50 and can take days or weeks; this instant check gives you the likely answer in seconds. And if work turns out to be needed, we’re local arborists who’ll confirm the status on site and handle any application, not just a data lookup.

Does it cover Leeds, York and the rest of Yorkshire?

Yes. The register is England-wide, so the checker works for any postcode covered by Leeds City Council, City of York Council, Wakefield Council, North Yorkshire Council (including Selby) and Bradford Council (Ilkley and Burley-in-Wharfedale), our whole service area, and beyond.

What if my tree is in a conservation area?

You must give the council six weeks’ written notice before most tree work in a conservation area. That window lets them decide whether to protect the tree with a TPO; if they don’t object, you can go ahead. We prepare and submit that notice for you.

Can I do work on a tree with a Tree Preservation Order?

Only with the council’s written consent: cutting, topping, lopping or uprooting a protected tree without it is a criminal offence. There’s no fee to apply, the council has eight weeks to decide, and most sensible applications are granted. We handle the whole application, from submission to decision.

What if the checker says my tree isn’t protected?

Treat it as a strong indication, not a guarantee. TPO coverage depends on what each council has published to the national register, and some haven’t submitted everything yet. The council’s own register is always the final word. We check the definitive status of every tree before we quote, so you’re never caught out.

Want the full picture?

Our guide explains what a Tree Preservation Order is, how conservation areas work, the penalties for unauthorised work, and how consent applications are decided.

Read the TPO guide