Government to axe paperwork to help save trees

28 Sep 2010 03:51 PM Proposals to prune tree preservation paperwork down to size were announced by Communities Minister Bob Neill as part of the Government's pledge to cut red tape and reduce burdens for individuals and local government.

Three sets of regulations and orders covering tree preservation orders in England will be streamlined into one document, saving local councils more then £500,000 in administration costs each year.

The new regulations will reduce paperwork, simplify the process of protecting trees and provide a fairer, more straightforward and effective system for tree preservation.

Bob Neill said:

"It's ridiculous we have three sets of regulations governing tree protection. Who knows how many trees have been felled to write all of these.

"These regulations are exactly the sort of unnecessary paperwork we can easily trim down to a much more manageable size. Laws are supposed to protect people and their surroundings, not bury them in red tape."

Tree preservation orders are made by local planning authorities and make it an offence to cut down, top or damage a protected tree without the authority's permission. They are important because they safeguard trees that make a significant impact on their local surroundings.

A 12 week consultation on the new regulations begins today. Further details can be found at: www.communities.gov.uk/publications/planningandbuilding/treestreamliningconsult.