(1)If an application is made to the Commissioners for a felling licence in respect of trees to which a tree preservation order relates, and consent under the order is required for the felling of those trees, then—
(a)the Commissioners, if they propose to grant the licence, shall give notice in writing to the authority by whom the order was made; and
(b)the Commissioners may in any case refer the application to the said authority.
(2)Where the Commissioners give the notice required by subsection (1)(a) above and the authority within the prescribed period after receipt of the notice object to the Commissioners’ proposal to grant a felling licence and do not withdraw their objection, then—
(a)the Commissioners shall not deal with the application, but shall refer it to the Minister, and the application shall then be dealt with under the Town and Country Planning Acts; and
(b)if in pursuance of the application the Minister consents to the felling, section 9(1) of this Act shall not apply so as to require a felling licence for the felling of any trees in accordance with the consent.
(3)Where the Commissioners refer an application under subsection (1)(b) above,—
(a)the application shall be dealt with under the Town and Country Planning Acts; and
(b)so long as the tree preservation order applying to the trees remains in force, section 9(1) shall not apply so as to require a felling licence for the felling of any trees to which the application relates.
(4)Where in the case of any trees—
(a)the Commissioners under this section refer an application for a felling licence to the Minister or an authority who have made a tree preservation order relating to the trees; and
(b)a felling licence in respect of the trees has been previously refused by the Commissioners,
no account shall be taken, in calculating any compensation payable under section 11 of this Act in consequence of the previous refusal, of deterioration occurring after the date of the reference.
This subsection shall be without prejudice to section 11(5) of this Act, in a case to which that subsection applies.
(5)Except as provided by the foregoing provisions of this section, no application shall be entertained under a tree preservation order for consent thereunder in respect of the felling of trees in the case of which section 9(1) of this Act applies so as to require a felling licence.
(6)Where, in the case of trees to which a tree preservation order relates, a felling licence is granted by the Commissioners after the date on which the order comes into force, the licence shall, notwithstanding anything in that order, be sufficient authority for the felling of any trees to which the order relates.
(7)Schedule 3 to this Act shall have effect for explaining the procedure applicable where this section requires an application to be dealt with under the Town and Country Planning Acts.
(8)F1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Textual Amendments
F1S. 15(8) repealed (27.3.2002) by The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Dissolution) Order 2002 (S.I. 2002/794), art. 5(2), Sch. 2 (with art. 6)