Trees, conservation areas and listed buildings

Trees

Trees make an important contribution to the character of the Borough. Many trees are protected either by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or because they are within one of the Borough's eight Conservation Areas.

Guidance on landscaping and protection of trees on development sites can be found on page 26 of the supplementary planning document 'Design of Residential Extensions and New Residential Development' (Pdf 1.33mb).

The following links provide further information on the protection of trees and how to apply for work to preserved trees. There is also advice on how to complain about high hedges:

Protected trees
Information on Tree preservation
Spelthorne Tree Warden s
Application form for tree works: works to trees subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) and/or notification of proposed works to trees in Conservation Areas (TCA). (No 31 on 1App form)
High hedges: complaining to the Council (External website)

Other information

Arboricultural Association (external link)

Conservation Areas

A Conservation Area is defined in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as an 'area of special architectural or historic interest, the character or appearance of which it is desirable to preserve or enhance'. Conservation Areas have a legal status which provides additional controls over the following:

most demolitions
the size limits for permitted development on non-listed dwellings
illuminated advertisements on business premises
satellite dishes and other telecommunications operations
work to trees

Legislation also exists to enable local authorities to secure necessary repairs to unoccupied non-listed buildings in a Conservation Area which are not being preserved in a weatherproof and secure condition.

Conservation Area maps and enhancement plans

Listed below are the 8 Conservation Areas in Spelthorne:

Laleham Conservation Area map Laleham Conservation Area Preservation and Enhancement proposals - August 1991	(Pdf 592kb) (Pdf 1.7mb)
Lower Halliford Conservation Area map Lower Halliford Conservation Area Preservation and Enhancement proposals - February 1994	(Pdf 427kb) (Pdf 1.7mb)
Lower Sunbury Conservation Area map Lower Sunbury Conservtion Area Preservation and Enhancement proposals - November 1992	(Pdf 617kb) (Pdf 2.9mb)
Shepperton Conservation Area map Shepperton Conservation Area Preservation and Enforcement proposals - February 1994	(Pdf 333kb) (Pdf 2.1mb)
Staines Conservation Area map Staines Conservation Area Preservation and Enhancement proposals - March 1991	(Pdf 533kb) (Pdf 1.9mb)
Stanwell Conservation Area map Stanwell Conservation Area Preservation and Enhancement proposals - January 1992	(Pdf 384kb) (Pdf 1.6mb)
Upper Halliford Conservation Area map Upper Halliford Conservation Area Preservation and Enhancement proposals - July 1994	(Pdf 326kb) (Pdf 1.2mb)
Manygate Lane Estate Conservation Area map Manygate Lane Estate Conservation Area Preservation and Enhancement Plan October 2002	(Pdf 284kb) (Pdf - 488 kb)

Listed Buildings and Locally Listed Buildings

Spelthorne has 195 listed buildings in the Borough which are statutorily protected because of their architectural or historic interest. There are also 159 locally listed buildings. The following provides information about these buildings, guidance on the implications of 'listing' and how to maintain them:

Listed Buildings in Spelthorne July 2011 (Pdf 798kb)

Local List of Buildings and Structures of Architectural or Historic Interest - February 2004

An Owner's Guide to Listed Buildings

Listed Building Maintenance Leaflets

Further advice

We are able to provide further advice on trees, Conservation Areas, Listed Buildings and Locally Listed Buildings. In particular we encourage those contemplating work to seek pre-application advice. Please see our 'pre-application advice' page for more information.