Tree Preservation Order Requests Aug26
Renfrewshire Council · 25 August 2026
Back to Planning and Climate Change Policy Board — 25 August 2026 and its agenda
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Planning and Climate Change Policy Board On: 25 August 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Chief Executive ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Tree Preservation Order Requests ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 This report seeks to respond to a request to application a TPO at a site at Stoney Brae, Paisley. 1.2 The request submitted has been considered in line with the relevant legislation, namely, Section 160 of The Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 as amended by the Planning etc (Scotland) Act 2006, and within the procedures set out in the Town and Country Planning (Tree Preservation Order and Trees in Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Regulations 2011. 1.3 The report recommends that a tree preservation order is not applied to the site in question. ________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Board: (i) Note that an assessment was undertaken of trees at a site at Stoney Brae, Paisley and that the trees in question were found not to meet the criteria for a tree preservation order. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. TPO Request Stoney Brae, Paisley 3.1 A request for a tree preservation order has been received in respect of a wooded site at Stoney Brae, Paisley.
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PUBLIC 3.2 A TEMPO assessment of the woodland has been undertaken in respect of the site by an independent arboriculturist. 3.3 The assessment notes that the site comprises approximaley 140 metres of old, abandoned railway cutting which is now surrounded by resienital gardens. 3.4 The assessment also states: Although the site may have ecological, biodiversity and landscape value, the tree cover essentially comprises recent, unmanaged, wild natural regeneration. No management appears to be undertaken and there are already issues of trees causing shade and encroachment problems which will be of increasing concern to neighbouring properties as the trees mature. One of the most abundant species at the site, Common ash Fraxinus excelsior, is badly affected by Ash Dieback Disease caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (aka Chalara fraxinea). Frequently trees weakened by the disease succumb to infection by Honey fungus (Armillaria spp.) which quickly kills them. 3.5 The site achieved a TEMPO score of 11 indicating that imposing a Tree Preservation Order on the woodland would be indefensible. 3.6 A copy of the assessment undertaken is detailed as Background Paper 1 as attached to this report. 3.7 In light of the above it is recommend that a TPO designation is not progressed in relation to the woodland in question. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning – None. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets - None 6. Information Technology - None 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be
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PUBLIC reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety - None 9. Procurement - None 10. Risk - None 11. Privacy Impact – None 12. COSLA Policy Position - None. 13. Climate Risk – None. 14. Children’s Rights - None ___________________________________________________________________ Author: David Love, Chief Planning Officer Tel: 07483410182; Email: david.love@renfrewshire.gov.uk
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Crownhead, Stobo, Scottish Borders, EH45 8NX t: 01721 760268 e: mail@treeconsultancygroup.com www.treeconsultancygroup.com Principal Consultant: Kenneth Harvey Dip.For. Chartered Arboriculturist Tree Consultancy Group Arboriculture - Urban Forestry - Planning 'TEMPO' ASSESSMENT OF WOODLAND SITE AT STONEY BRAE THORNLY PARK PAISLEY PA2 7TG Client: Renfrewshire Council Date: June 2026 Background Paper 1
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1 INSTRUCTIONS 1.1 We have been instructed by Mr David Love, Head of Planning at Renfrewshire Council, to assess the suitability of a wooded site at Stoney Brae, Thornly Park, Paisley for inclusion within a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). The assessment was to be carried out using the TEMPO evaluation method. 2 BACKGROUND 2.1 A TPO suitability assessment starts with an appraisal carried out from places to which the public have access, as the purpose of protecting trees by a TPO is primarily to preserve their visual amenity in the landscape. This process involves identifying the most significant trees, groups or woodlands and then considering the expediency of making them the subjects of a TPO. 2.2 In order to be able to decide which trees are suitable for inclusion in a TPO and which aren't, the use of some kind of system is recommended to ensure, as far as possible, that selection is carried out in a fair, consistent, objective, and repeatable manner. It helps the Council explain to landowners why their trees have (or haven't) been included in a TPO, and also helps to avoid including large numbers of low value trees within the TPO system which the Council then has to manage with limited resources. 2.3 The most widely used appraisal system developed for this purpose is the Tree Evaluation Method for Preservation Orders - TEMPO developed by Julian Forbes-Laird MICFor. It is an easy to use field guide to decision-making which also provides a written record of the process. It is presented as a single-page pro forma, and allocates scores to various relevant criteria. When these scores are added together, it gives a total figure which informs whether the tree merits protection by a TPO and, if so, whether the making of a TPO is justifiable (i.e. defensible). 2.4 As Woodland TPOs are essentially different in nature and intent to 'normal' TPOs, TEMPO has been produced in two forms - one for individual trees and groups of trees, and one for woodlands. In the assessment of the trees at Stoney Brae we have used the woodland version. 3 METHODOLOGY 3.1 The site and the trees were assessed from places to which the public have ready access to establish their general condition and visibility in the surrounding area. 3.2 The site and trees were considered to form a small woodland and a Woodland TEMPO evaluation was carried out. 4 ASSESSMENT FINDINGS 4.1 The site comprises approximately 140 metres of old, abandoned railway cutting now surrounded by suburban residential gardens. The line was part of the Barrhead Branch of the Glasgow and South- Western Railway just south of Potterhill Station which closed to goods traffic in 1970. All trees present will have arisen since then. 4.2 The site is visible to the public from several viewpoints in the surrounding area, but this is often limited to glimpses between houses and other buildings. 1
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4.3 Although the site may have ecological, biodiversity and landscape value, the tree cover essentially comprises recent, unmanaged, wild natural regeneration. No management appears to be undertaken and there are already issues of trees causing shade and encroachment problems which will be of increasing concern to neighbouring properties as the trees mature. One of the most abundant species at the site, Common ash Fraxinus excelsior, is badly affected by Ash Dieback Disease caused by the fungus Hymenoscyphus fraxineus (aka Chalara fraxinea). Frequently trees weakened by the disease succumb to infection by Honey fungus (Armillaria spp.) which quickly kills them. 4.4 Due to the species, condition and age of the woodland, the TEMPO assessment score for the site was low, suggesting that a TPO would be indefensible. A plan of the site along with the relevant TEMPO score sheet is attached. 5 CONCLUSIONS 5.1 The TEMPO evaluation for the site produced a total score of 11 points, indicating that making a Tree Preservation Order would be indefensible. Kenneth Harvey Dip.For. Chartered Arboriculturist 4th June 2026 2
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WOODLAND EVALUATION METHOD FOR PRESERVATION ORDERS (WOODLAND TEMPO) SURVEY DATA SHEET & DECISION GUIDE Date: Surveyor: Woodland details TPO Ref (if applicable): Location:/OSGR: Owner (if known): Composition: REFER TO GUIDANCE NOTE FOR ALL DEFINITIONS Part 1: Amenity assessment a) Condition & suitability for TPO 10) Unmanaged – good/fair condition Highly suitable 8) Unmanaged – poor condition Very suitable 5) Excessively managed Suitable 2) Under good management Barely suitable 1) Derelict Unlikely to be suitable 0) Dead/dying/dangerous* Unsuitable Score & Notes * Relates to existing context and is intended to apply to majority of main stand trees having severe irremediable defects b) Naturalness & suitability for TPO Score & Notes 10) Ancient / ASN Highly suitable 8) Recent semi-natural Very suitable 5) Replanted ancient Suitable* 2) Recent native plantation Barely suitable 1) Pioneer dominant Unlikely to be suitable 0) Recent exotic plantation Unsuitable * If few old growth trees present & little or no regen consider TEMPO tree/group assessment c) Size (ha) & suitability for TPO Score & Notes 10) 100 + Extremely suitable 8) 10 - <100 Highly suitable 5) 5 - <10 Very Suitable 2) 0.25 to <5 Suitable 1) 0.1 – <0.25 Barely suitable 0) < 0.1 Unsuitable (consider TEMPO tree/group assessment) d) Cultural factors Woodland must have accrued 13 or more points (with no zero score) to qualify Score & Notes 10) Historical record / vital landscape feature / ≥10% veteran tree population present 8) SSSI or other national designation; significant landscape / habitat importance 5) Woodland with local designation / high public use / identifiable habitat value 2) Woodland with internal public access (use light or unknown) / some habitat value 1) Woodland adjacent to highway or with external public access / low habitat value 0) Woodland with none of the above additional features inc. minimal habitat value Part 2: Expediency assessment Woodland must have accrued 15 or more points to qualify 5) Immediate threat to overall woodland 4) Immediate risk of significant loss / severe fragmentation 3) Foreseeable risk of significant loss / severe fragmentation 2) Foreseeable risk of partial loss / fragmentation 1) Precautionary only Score & Notes Part 3: Decision guide Add Scores for Total: Decision: Any 0 Do not apply TPO 1-12 TPO indefensible 13-15 Does not merit TPO 16-20 TPO defensible 21 + Definitely merits TPO Unmanaged in poor condition 8 points Less than 55 years old (railway closed in 1970) with pioneer species dominant. 1 point 0.25 to <5 ha Suitable 2 points Not applicable as score of 11 points at a) to c) above too low to qualify. Not applicable as scores too low. 11 points TPO indefensible 2/6/2026 K Harvey Dip.For. n/a NS485616 Land at Stoney Brae, Paisley PA2 7TG Unknown Pioneer species including sycamore, ash, birch, willow, rowan.
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