{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/planning-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-126",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/planning-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-126.json",
  "legislation": "nia/2011/25",
  "legislation_title": "Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/planning-act-northern-ireland-2011",
  "path": "section/126",
  "kind": "section",
  "number": "126",
  "heading": "Penalties for contravention of tree preservation orders",
  "text": "(1) If any person, in contravention of a tree preservation order, cuts down, uproots or wilfully destroys a tree, or wilfully damages, tops or lops a tree in such a manner as to be likely to destroy it, that person shall be guilty of an offence and liable—\n(a) on summary conviction, to a fine not exceeding £100,000;\n(b) on conviction on indictment, to a fine.\n(2) In determining the amount of any fine to be imposed on a person convicted of an offence under subsection (1), the court must in particular have regard to any financial benefit which has accrued or appears likely to accrue to that person in consequence of the offence.\n(3) If any person contravenes a tree preservation order otherwise than as mentioned in subsection (1), that person shall be guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 4 on the standard scale.",
  "extent": null,
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C1",
      "text": "Pt. 4 (except chpts. 1, 2) applied with modification(s) (1.4.2015) by The Planning General Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2015 (S.R. 2015/39), regs. 1(1), 2 (with regs. 3-10)"
    },
    {
      "type": "C",
      "label": "C2",
      "text": "Ss. 105-155: transfer of functions (8.5.2016) by The Departments (Transfer of Functions) Order (Northern Ireland) 2016 (S.R. 2016/76), art. 1(2), Sch. 5 Pt. 2 (with art. 9(2))"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I1",
      "text": "S. 126 in operation at 13.2.2015 for specified purposes by S.R. 2015/49, art. 2, Sch. 1"
    },
    {
      "type": "I",
      "label": "I2",
      "text": "S. 126 in operation at 1.4.2015 in so far as not already in operation by S.R. 2015/49, art. 3, Sch. 1 (with Sch. 2) (as amended (16.3.2016) by S.R. 2016/159, art. 2)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2011/25/section/126",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T20:20:42.089798+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}