When does a garden become a woodland?

[Hodge]

I have been doing some work in a customers garden and they have asked me to take some trees out of a wooded area of the garden? They are some mature larch and a sycamore. I'm pretty sure we would need a felling licence but the customer thinks not as he says its his garden?? It is in the boundary wall of the garden the whole property is maybe in 1.5 acre maybe 2. Can anyone shed some light??

[Pat Ferrett]

Hi Hodge your asking atleast 2 questions one of which is when a felling licence is required so this link might help Forestry Commission - Felling Licences

 

The other question I see is regarding the lands classification in the eyes of the planning department which can be answered by a quick call to your local planning dept.

Hope this helps a wee bit

[openspaceman]

I have been doing some work in a customers garden and they have asked me to take some trees out of a wooded area of the garden? They are some mature larch and a sycamore. I'm pretty sure we would need a felling licence but the customer thinks not as he says its his garden?? It is in the boundary wall of the garden the whole property is maybe in 1.5 acre maybe 2. Can anyone shed some light??

 

Safest to ask the local FC private woodlands bod, they tend to be reasonable about licences in my area.

 

When I have discussed it in the past the criteria were if there were any fences/hedges between the woodland and the house, was the woodland maintained as a garden, with paths and mown rides. The legislation mentions within the curtilage of the dwelling, to qualify the garden has to be enjoyed by the inhabitants. Mind there are precious few successful prosecutions of felling licence offences.