Planning

Trees make places work, look and feel better. Trees play a role in climate-proofing our neighbourhoods and supporting human health and environmental well-being; trees can also help to create conditions for economic success. Trees which are covered by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), or which are located within conservation areas, are protected by law. In these cases you will need permission from the City Council before you carry out work on them, unless the work is exempt.

For further information concerning trees please visit the Arboricultural Association's website.

Information on all other works to trees (not covered by TPOs or in conservation areas, and not high hedges) can be found in the  pdf City Council's tree information document (75 KB) . This includes dangerous trees and tree root issues.

Worcester Trees Strategy (2025-2050)

The Worcester Trees Strategy (2025-2050) presents a long-term vision for growing, protecting, and managing the city’s urban forest over the next 25 years.

The strategy sets out an ambitious plan to expand Worcester’s tree canopy and deliver the full benefits of a healthy, diverse treescape. It is grounded in the findings of the 2024 Worcester Trees public consultation, which revealed overwhelming community support for more trees, enhanced protection, and increased opportunities for involvement.

The strategy aims to increase canopy cover from 16% to at least 20%, with an aspirational goal of 30% by 2050. A phased approach will ensure early planting and long-term establishment, with a focus on neighbourhoods most in need of urban greening.

pdf Read the Worcester Trees Strategy (10.02 MB)

Tree Preservation Orders

Tree Preservation Orders can be made by the local authority to protect trees for public enjoyment and amenity; these trees are protected by law, and unlawful works to them are an offence which can be prosecuted in the magistrates’ court or county court.

The City Council can provide information on which trees are covered by TPOs and how to apply for works to trees.

Trees in conservation areas

Trees in conservation areas are also protected by law, A ‘section 211 notice’ must be submitted, giving the local authority the option to make a Tree Preservation Order or to allow the work.

You can search My Local Area to see if your property is in a conservation area.

Tree Advisory Service

The Council provide owners of trees, covered by a Tree Preservation Order or within a conservation area, with pre-application advice to provide guidance on what tree works the Council could support, within a formal application.

The advice is based on a basic visual tree assessment of ground level only. Therefore, the tree owner may still need to employ the services of a consulting arborist, if defects are identified during the assessment that require further investigation. These could include decay detection, climbing assessments, or tree stability tests, which the Council does not have the equipment to undertake. 

The service costs £80 and includes a site visit and assessment of up to 20 trees. A short report and plan showing the estimated location of the trees will be provided within 14 days of the assessment, to aid with a formal application.

Please note: If more than 20 trees need to be assessed you will need to employ the services of a suitably qualified  pdf Consultant Arborist. (144 KB)

If you would like to utilise this service and are happy with the above terms, please select the following link, complete the on-line form, and make payment. Once your request has been received the Council's Tree and Landscape Officer will contact you to make an appointment within 14 days  Planning Pre Application - Worcester City Council

High Hedges

Hedges have many benefits; they can provide privacy and wind shelter and encourage wildlife. A hedge can also be an attractive feature in its own right. However, very high hedges can cause problems. Often the worst of these is the loss of sunlight and daylight to neighbouring gardens and houses. The City Council administers a process for determining disputes between neighbours over high hedges.

Who should undertake tree work?

It is always advisable to engage a competent and qualified Tree Contractor to carry out any work to trees. The City Council recommend you visit the Arboricultural Association’s web pages to find qualified Tree Contractors.

Worcester is one of England's leading historic cities and has a rich heritage of historic buildings and archaeological remains. The city site has been occupied since prehistoric times and the town was an important Roman industrial centre. The medieval city was surrounded by stone walls and had a dozen churches as well as the magnificent cathedral.

The historic core has one of the largest concentrations of listed buildings in the country (there are over 1000 listed buildings in Worcester) and is one of 19 conservation areas in Worcester. The city centre and its medieval suburbs include many timber-framed and Georgian brick buildings. Other conservation areas cover Regency suburban developments, historic villages and hamlets, the river meadows and the Worcester and Birmingham Canal.

pdf Scheduled monuments (101 KB) include the city walls as well as moated sites and earthworks dating from the Civil War. The sites of the first and last Battles of the Civil War in 1642 and 1651 are on the register of historic battlefields. Gheluvelt Park, a memorial park opened after the First World War, has recently been added to the register of historic parks and gardens. Scheduled monuments, listed buildings, registered parks and gardens, registered battlefields and conservation areas are known as designated heritage assets.

Other heritage assets are undesignated. Some of these are included in the city's pdf ‘local list'. (541 KB)

Worcester City Council also maintains a pdf 'Heritage at Risk (1.95 MB) ' register which identifies those buildings or structures whose condition has given rise to concern. The City Council aims to work with owners and funding bodies to identify solutions for these assets, including repair and new uses.

Further information on archaeology in the planning process can be found on a separate page.

Information on Worcester's archaeological remains and historic buildings is held on the Worcester City Historic Environment Record (WCHER). A full enquiry service is available for both planning and research purposes and details are included via the WCHER page.  The National Heritage List for England contains information on nationally designated heritage assets (listed buildings, scheduled monuments, parks and gardens and historic battlefields).

Do I have the right to appeal?

The applicant has a right to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate if:

• No decision has been reached on the application within the statutory time for determination

• The application is refused

• The applicant does not agree with one or more of the conditions on an approval

• If the Local Planning Authority and applicant can't agree on application validation requirements

Please Note : There is no third party right to appeal other than on a point of law, although third parties can be involved in the appeal process and are asked for comments on certain appeals.

How long will the appeal process take?

Appeals are usually time consuming, before you take this course of action, it is worth speaking to the Development Management Officer who dealt with your application to see if there is scope to negotiate a compromise and submit an amended application.

The time period in which an appeal can be made varies per type of application, for householder applications  this is 12 weeks whereas for advertisement consent applications this is 8 weeks. Major applications can take much longer.

Detail of the appeal procedures can be found on the decision notice or by contacting the  Planning Inspectorate

The Inspector's decision is final and you have no further right to appeal except to the High Court on a point of law.

Appeal forms are available from the Planning Inspectorate and you will be able to submit an appeal online at the Planning Inspectorate website.

 

What is Planning Enforcement?

The purpose of the planning system is to contribute to the achievement of sustainable development, which includes the provision of homes, commercial development and supporting infrastructure, whilst also protecting and enhancing the natural and historic environment, in the public interest.

Effective enforcement is important to maintain public confidence in the planning system and ensure its purpose is not undermined.  Enforcement action is discretionary, and when deciding if formal action should be taken against breaches of planning control local planning authorities should act proportionately. 

Our Planning Enforcement team investigates complaints of alleged breaches of planning control to determine if a breach has occurred and if so what action, if any, is required.

What is a breach of planning control?

A breach of planning control can include the following:

• Unauthorised operational development/material change of use of land/building
• Unauthorised works to Listed Buildings
• Unauthorised display of advertisements
• Unauthorised works to trees subject of a tree preservation order (TPO) or in a Conservation Area
• Failure to comply with a Section 106 agreement
• Breaches of Planning Conditions
• Untidy land where it adversely affects the amenity of the area
• Removal of protected hedgerows – Hedgerow Regulations 1997
• Not building in accordance with the approved plans that form part of a planning permission
• Unauthorised engineering operations
• Unauthorised demolition within Conservation Areas

Examples of what is not a breach of planning control:

• Internal works to a non-listed building that do not result in a material change of use
• Dangerous structures (refer to South Worcestershire Building Control and/or the Health and Safety Executive
• Obstruction of a highway or public right of way (refer to Report a road or path issue | Worcestershire County Council)
• Parking of vehicles on the highway or on grass verges (refer to Report a road or path issue | Worcestershire County Council)
• Parking caravans on residential driveways or within the curtilage of domestic properties if they are incidental to the enjoyment of the property
• Land ownership disputes or trespass issues
• Covenants imposed on property Deeds
• Any works that are ‘permitted development’ under The Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) (England) Order 2015 (or any order revoking or re-enacting that Order with or without modification).
• Advertisements that benefit from deemed or express consent under the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) (England) Regulations 2007 and as such are excluded from direct control;
• Noise and disturbance (in certain circumstances such issues may be controlled by planning legislation, for example where they are the subject of a condition imposed on planning permission) (can be reported on the City Council's website)
• Anti-social behaviour (report to West Mercia Police on 101 (if non-emergency))
• High hedge disputes (evergreen hedges) – however, these are dealt with by Planning Services and are investigated under Part 8 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 200 (High Hedges Complaints - Worcester City Council

Local Enforcement Plan

The City Council has adopted a Local Enforcement Plan (January 2024), which provides an overview of the purpose of planning enforcement and sets out how we will deliver this service.  The Plan includes guidance on what constitutes a breach of planning control, how to make a planning enforcement complaint and explains the options available for dealing with identified breaches.

The Plan sets out how we will prioritise our enforcement investigations, depending on the nature and severity of the alleged breach of planning control, so that we can focus our resources appropriately.

pdf Local Enforcement Plan 2024 (363 KB)

Reporting an issue

Before reporting an issue it is helpful if you check if permission has been granted for it, by using the Planning applications - Quick Search Worcester City Council, or if it is ‘permitted development’ by using the Planning Portal - Interactive guidance.

Complaints about alleged breaches of planning control should be made by completing our online Planning Enforcement Complaint Form.  Completion of this form helps to ensure that you provide all the necessary information for us to begin investigating your complaint and also includes the legal requirement for you to acknowledge how your information will be held and processed.

Make a planning enforcement complaint

If you are unable to complete the online complaint form, you can either:

• email the information (as set out below) to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.,
• send it by letter to Planning Enforcement, Worcester City Council, The Guildhall, High Street, Worcester, WR1 2EY, or
• hand deliver it to Customer Services at the Guildhall

You must still confirm in your email or letter that you acknowledge that the City Council will hold and process your information in accordance with Data Protection Law and provide the information set out on page 9 of the Local Enforcement Plan 2024.