Did you know that because Kemnal Road and virtually the whole of east Chislehurst is in a designated Conservation Area, there are special provisions regarding the protection of trees?
Anyone proposing to cut down or carry out any trimming work on any tree in a property situated in Kemnal Road or its side roads must give 6 weeks’ notice to Bromley Council before work starts. This is to enable the Council to decide whether a Tree Preservation Order should be imposed to protect the tree. The only exceptions to the requirement to give notice are trees which are dead or trees which are less than 7.5 centimetres in diameter, measured 1.5 metres above the ground (or 10 centimetres if thinning is to help the growth of other trees).
There are also specific areas to the the east and west of Kemnal Road which are subject to Tree Preservation Orders. These afford legal protection to specific trees or woodlands because they make a significant impact on their local surroundings. The orders are made by Bromley Council and prohibit any cutting down, uprooting, topping or wilful damage to a tree with a TPO. Carrying out work to a tree in a Conservation Area without notifying the Council or doing anything which contravenes a TPO is a criminal offence and can result in a fine of up to £20,000 and a criminal record. In serious cases, a person may be committed for trial in a Crown Court and, if convicted, would be liable to an unlimited fine.
You can find which areas in and around Kemnal Road are Conservation Areas and which woodlands/trees are subject to Tree Preservation orders on the Bromley Council website by searching for ‘Protected Trees Map’.
