Tree Work in Bletchley Conservation Area
Tree work in Bletchley Conservation Area (designated 2020) requires 6 weeks' written notice to Milton Keynes City Council before cutting down, topping, lopping or uprooting most trees — any tree with a trunk diameter over 7.5cm measured at 1.5m above ground. This applies even when the tree has no individual Tree Preservation Order.
Boundary of Bletchley Conservation Area, designated by Milton Keynes City Council in 2020. Boundary data is indicative, not definitive — confirm with Milton Keynes City Council before relying on it.
The 6-week notice rule (Section 211)
Trees in conservation areas are protected by Section 211 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. Before working on a tree in Bletchley Conservation Area you must give Milton Keynes City Council 6 weeks' written notice describing what you intend to do. The council then has three options: make a Tree Preservation Order (blocking or limiting the work), consent to the work, or let the 6 weeks pass — after which you may proceed, within 2 years of the notice.
About Bletchley Conservation Area
- Planning authority
- Milton Keynes City Council
- Designated
- 2020
- Reference
- CA18
- Council documentation
- Bletchley Conservation Area appraisal / designation record
Read more about the rules
Our guide to tree work in conservation areas covers exemptions, penalties and how Section 211 notices interact with Tree Preservation Orders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need permission to prune or cut down a tree in Bletchley Conservation Area?
You must give Milton Keynes City Council 6 weeks' written notice (a Section 211 notice) before cutting down, topping, lopping or uprooting most trees in Bletchley Conservation Area. The council uses that time to decide whether the tree deserves a Tree Preservation Order. You don't need to wait for permission as such — but you cannot start work until the 6 weeks pass or the council responds, whichever is sooner.
Which trees are covered by the rules in Bletchley Conservation Area?
Any tree in the conservation area with a trunk diameter over 7.5cm, measured at 1.5m above the ground (10cm if you're thinning to help other trees grow). Smaller trees, hedges and shrubs are generally exempt, as is work on dead or dangerous trees — though you should still notify the council and be able to prove the exemption applied.
What happens if I do tree work in Bletchley Conservation Area without notice?
Unauthorised work on a tree in a conservation area carries the same penalties as breaching a Tree Preservation Order: an unlimited fine if the tree is destroyed, and up to £2,500 for other unauthorised work. Courts also take account of any financial benefit gained. A replacement tree can be required.
How do I submit a Section 211 notice to Milton Keynes City Council?
Submit the notice in writing to Milton Keynes City Council — their conservation-area documentation is linked from this page. Describe the work, identify the tree(s), and keep proof of the date you gave notice. Most planning authorities accept Section 211 notices through their planning portal or by email to the planning department.
Nearby conservation areas
Conservation-area data from planning.data.gov.uk — © Crown copyright and database right 2026, © Historic England 2026. Licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Data is indicative, not definitive: the designating authority holds the legal record. See our data sources.