Tree removal

We only consider removing Council trees in certain situations and aim to plant a replacement for every tree that we remove from the borough’s parks and streets.

When trees need to be removed

Trees may be removed if:

• They pose an unacceptable risk of injury or damage, or cause unacceptable obstruction of the public highway or footpath, which cannot be rectified by pruning or other means
• They are proven beyond reasonable doubt to be the cause of significant structural damage
• They are causing overpopulation, in which case removal or thinning of trees will be considered
• The Council’s arboriculturalists decide a species is inappropriate for its setting

This is accordance with the Council’s Adopted Tree Management Policy (pdf, 214 KB).

What happens after removal

When a tree has been removed, a replacement tree will not be planted immediately. If the tree has been removed before 31 July, we aim to plant in the following planting season, which runs from the beginning of November to the end of March. 

At the beginning of each season a schedule of planting locations will be available.

Tree stumps

Highway repair is needed at some sites to fix the damage caused by the former tree, where this is the case we may retain the tree stump and its removal will be scheduled to take place at the same time as footway works.

Where stumps have been removed, paving may be required to ensure the correct levels are met. We will follow up and create a new tree pit in advance of planting.

Our footway tree pits are constructed using root directing barriers, these are installed to encourage roots to grow away from the pavement surface in order to minimise pavement damage by roots.

If you have an enquiry about a tree stump or for any other tree removal queries please submit an enquiry.

Scheduled tree removals

Where we are planning tree removal, we aim to provide information to help to explain the reasons for removal. 

 View scheduled removals:

• Reactive tree works programme March 2024 (works order 6010004)
• Reactive tree works programme February 2024 (works order 6010001)
• Reactive tree works programme January 2024 (works order 6000711)
• Reactive tree works programme December 2023 (works order 6000709)
• Reactive tree works programme November 2023 (works order 6000706)
• Reactive tree works programme October 2023 (works order 6000702)
• Reactive tree works programme October 2023 (works order 6000467)
• Thames Towpath tree removals 2023
• September 2023 reactive tree removals - all wards
• June 2023 reactive tree removals – all wards
• Twickenham Riverside - 2023 Ward Works and Tree Removals Programme
• May 2023 reactive tree removals - all wards
• April 2023 reactive tree removals - all wards
• November 2022 reactive tree removals - all wards (pdf, 4.1 MB)
• October 2022 reactive tree removals - all wards (pdf, 6.9 MB)
• September 2022 reactive tree removals - all wards (pdf, 9.7 MB)