Tree Preservation Order in Falkland, Fife

Protected woodland and individual trees around Falkland Palace Gardens, East Port and High Street.

This map shows the area covered by Fife Council Tree Preservation Order FIFE/TPO/014/1987 and the 5 trees listed on the order. Use the key on the map to see what the green area means.

Tree Preservation Order covering Falkland Palace Gardens, Fife, with individual protected trees on East Port and High Street

Order details

Status: Confirmed
TPO reference: FIFE/TPO/014/1987
Title: Fife Council Tree Preservation Order No. 14 (Falkland Palace Gardens and High Street) 1987
Planning authority: Fife Council
Location: Falkland Palace Gardens, East Port and High Street, Falkland, Fife, KY15 7BZ
What is protected: About 2.4 hectares of palace gardens and woodland on the north side of Falkland village, plus 2 individual trees just outside the gardens on High Street.
Order made: 16 January 1987
Order confirmed: 12 March 1987
Last varied: 4 June 2022 (trees T4 and T5 added)
Conservation area: Falkland Conservation Area

Warning It is a criminal offence to cut down, uproot, top, lop or wilfully damage a protected tree without consent.

Protected trees on this order
Tree	Species	Where it stands
T1	Common beech (Fagus sylvatica)	North boundary of Palace Gardens, beside the orchard wall
T2	Holm oak (Quercus ilex)	Centre of Palace Gardens, north of the palace building
T3	Common lime (Tilia × europaea)	South edge of the gardens, on the north pavement of East Port
T4	Copper beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’)	High Street, west of Falkland Parish Church, near Mill Wynd
T5	Yew (Taxus baccata)	Falkland Parish Church churchyard, east of the church door

If you cannot use the map

This section describes the same woodland and trees shown on the map, including where they stand, what you can and cannot do, and how to report a problem.

What the map shows

The image of the map uses the same colours as the interactive map.

Map key
On the map	What it shows
Green area with a green outline	The woodland Tree Preservation Order. This is Falkland Palace Gardens, between East Port, High Street properties and the north orchard wall. On the interactive map the area is hatched.
Pins labelled T1, T2 and T3	Individual trees inside the woodland order: a veteran beech on the north boundary, a holm oak in the centre of the gardens, and a common lime on East Port.
Pins labelled T4 and T5	Individual trees added to the order in 2022, just west of the gardens: a copper beech on High Street near Mill Wynd, and a yew in Falkland Parish Church churchyard.

Where the protected area is

About 2.4 hectares of palace gardens and woodland on the north side of Falkland village, plus 2 individual trees just outside the gardens on High Street.

The protected woodland is Falkland Palace Gardens, on the north side of the village of Falkland in north-east Fife.
East Port runs along the south edge of the green area. The palace building stands just inside the southern boundary, on the north side of East Port.
High Street and Falkland Parish Church sit immediately west of the gardens. Trees T4 and T5 stand here, outside the green woodland polygon but still on the same order.
The north boundary is a stone wall and a line of mature beech, including veteran tree T1. Beyond that is open parkland on the Falkland Estate.
The east boundary follows the garden wall towards open fields. Falkland Primary School is about 350 metres east on Pleasance.
Back Wynd connects High Street to East Port along the south-west corner of the gardens.
The whole village, including the gardens, is inside Falkland Conservation Area. Trees in the conservation area that are not on this order still need 6 weeks’ written notice before most works.
East Lomond hill rises to the south-west of the village. It is not covered by this order.

About each protected tree

T1: Common beech (Fagus sylvatica). North boundary of Palace Gardens, beside the orchard wall. A veteran beech about 250 years old, 22 metres tall, with a trunk 1.8 metres across. It has a large cavity on the north side. Fife Council’s 2022 inspection (TPO/FIF/2022/0418) found it in fair condition. No works are currently approved.
T2: Holm oak (Quercus ilex). Centre of Palace Gardens, north of the palace building. An evergreen oak planted in the 19th century as part of the palace pleasure grounds. About 16 metres tall. It is a landmark in views from East Port. Crown reduction was refused in 2019.
T3: Common lime (Tilia × europaea). South edge of the gardens, on the north pavement of East Port. A street lime about 18 metres tall. Its roots sit under the East Port footway. Fife Council highways and the tree officer must both agree any works near the pavement. Consent TPO/FIF/2021/0092 allowed deadwood removal only, and expired on 30 September 2023.
T4: Copper beech (Fagus sylvatica ‘Purpurea’). High Street, west of Falkland Parish Church, near Mill Wynd. Added to the order on 4 June 2022 after a planning application to fell it for a dropped kerb. About 14 metres tall. It contributes to the conservation area street scene. No works are currently approved.
T5: Yew (Taxus baccata). Falkland Parish Church churchyard, east of the church door. A churchyard yew estimated at more than 200 years old. Added to the order in 2022 at the same time as T4. Churchyard maintenance still needs TPO consent unless the tree is dead or dangerous and the council has been told.

What you cannot do

Cut down, uproot, top, lop, wilfully damage or wilfully destroy any tree on this order, unless Fife Council has given written consent or an exception applies.
Dig, pave or lay services within the root protection area in a way that is likely to damage a protected tree, without consent.
Ignore a condition on a consent, such as a requirement to plant a replacement tree.
Carry out works to T1 to T5, or to other trees that form the woodland in the green area, just because you own the land or have planning permission for something else. A planning permission does not replace TPO consent unless it says so.

What you can do

Apply to Fife Council for consent to do specified works. Include a tree report if the works are more than minor pruning.
Remove deadwood, or a tree that is dead, dying or dangerous, if you give the council 5 days’ written notice first, unless there is an immediate risk of serious harm. You may still need to plant a replacement.
Do work that a statutory undertaker needs to do in an emergency to keep an electricity or water supply safe. The undertaker should still tell the council as soon as possible.
Ask the tree officer for pre-application advice before you design an extension, a dropped kerb or a new driveway near these trees.

How to apply for works

Use Fife Council’s application for works to trees covered by a TPO. Quote reference FIFE/TPO/014/1987 and the tree number, for example T3.
Say exactly what you want to do (for example ‘reduce the south crown of T3 by up to 2 metres’) rather than ‘prune as needed’.
Fife Council aims to decide applications in 8 weeks. Do not start work until you have the decision in writing.
If consent is refused, or a condition is attached that you disagree with, you can appeal to Scottish Ministers through the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA).

How to report a problem

If you think someone is cutting or damaging a protected tree, contact Fife Council planning enforcement and quote FIFE/TPO/014/1987.
Give the tree number if you know it, the street (East Port, High Street or Palace Gardens), the date and time, and photographs if it is safe to take them.
If work is happening at the time you call, say so. The council can visit the same day where trees are being felled.
If a tree has fallen or is in danger of falling onto East Port, High Street or a building, call Fife Council’s emergency number. Do not wait for a TPO application.
The National Trust for Scotland manages Falkland Palace and the gardens. Report damage inside the gardens to the property as well as to the council.

Contact Fife Council

Use these details to apply for works, ask about a tree on this order, or report unauthorised cutting.

Tree officer

Fraser McLeod, Fife Council
Quote FIFE/TPO/014/1987
Email: fraser.mcleod@example.com
Telephone: 020 7946 0310
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm (except public holidays)

Find out about call charges

Report unauthorised works or a dangerous tree

Report unauthorised tree works

Planning enforcement, Fife Council
Email: planning.enforcement@example.com
Telephone: 020 7946 0311
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. For a tree that is falling, use the emergency number.

Dangerous tree on the highway

Emergency contact centre, Fife Council
Email: emergencies@example.com
Telephone: 020 7946 0999
24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for trees that are unsafe on East Port or High Street

Property operations manager

Lorna Reid, National Trust for Scotland, Falkland Palace
Email: lorna.reid@example.com
Telephone: 020 7946 0312
Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm (palace opening days)