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Trees managed or owned by us

Trees on land that we own or are managed by us are as follows:

  • Gardens of council property*
  • Communal areas of council homes or flats
  • Parks
  • Cemeteries
  • Public Open spaces

 

Damaged or dangerous trees

Report - Trees Request Form

What you need to know

Before submitting an enquiry, please check who is responsible for the tree. Trees on private land are the responsibility of the landowner, while trees beside highways and public footpaths are usually the responsibility of Devon County Council. If your enquiry relates to a Council-owned tree, please read our Tree Management Guidance first.

Mid Devon District Council does not provide general tree maintenance advice for privately owned trees. If a tree is protected by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) or is within a Conservation Area, special restrictions may apply. For private tree advice, please contact a qualified tree surgeon. Trees covered by TPOs or Conservation Area restrictions may require permission before any work is carried out.


What we need

To help us investigate your tree enquiry, please provide:

  • Your contact details.
  • The location of the tree.
  • The type of enquiry or issue you are reporting.
  • A description of the concern or defect, if applicable.
  • Photographs of the tree, where available.

Depending on the type of enquiry, we may also ask for additional information about safety concerns, planning applications, protected trees, or suspected planning breaches.



Start 

Other ways to Apply

Online is the best way to apply as you can update your details or view the status of the active service.

Alternatively you can contact our customer services team on 01884 255255.


* For any queries relating to trees located in the garden of one of our council houses, please contact our Housing Tenancy team. 

Frequently asked questions:

1. Can you recommend a good tree surgeon?

We cannot recommend any one tree surgeon. The Arboricultural Association, a "trade organisation", publishes a list of members who work in the District and are approved, certified and fully insured.

 

2. How often does the Council prune trees?

There is no particular period between pruning operations. Trees will be pruned when it is necessary to keep them safe or where they are causing a serious obstruction.

 

3. My house is shaded by my neighbour's tree. What can I do?

The first thing you should do is to talk to your neighbour. If you cannot reach an amicable agreement and the shade is cast by an evergreen hedge, we may be able to help, please see our High Hedges page. If the problem does not come from a hedge, or it is not evergreen, we cannot get involved.

 

4. Does the Council prune privately owned trees?

Unfortunately we cannot prune trees on private land.

 

5. What about Council trees?

We will not:

  • fell healthy trees.
  • reduce the height of trees
  • any other work that will compromise the health of a tree
  • prune trees to improve light levels at properties
  • prune trees to improve TV/Satellite reception

 

We will prune or fell trees that are:

  • dangerous
  • obstructing a footpath or highway
  • require thinning as part of good arboriculture management

 

Where trees are felled, in accordance with our Tree Conservation & Maintenance Policy, we aim to plant a replacement tree. 

If you suspect that a tree belonging to us is causing subsidence to your property, you must contact your insurance company in the first instance.

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