Appeal the conditions or refusal of a felling licence
Published 6 September 2024
Applies to England
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If an approved felling licence has replanting conditions applied to it and you are not happy with them, you should initially contact your local woodland officer and discuss the issue.
However, if you are still unhappy with the conditions applied to your felling licence, you can appeal those conditions in writing to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as provided for in section 16 of the Forestry Act 1967.
You may also appeal against the refusal of a felling licence to the Secretary of State, but only if you have been refused a licence twice for the same area and work proposals. Additionally, there must be at least 3 years between our first and subsequent refusal.
How do I appeal?
Email your appeal to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs at: defra.helpline@defra.gov.uk.
If you wish to submit an additional hard copy, the postal address is:
Seacole Building
2 Marsham Street
London
SW1P 4DF
Please also send a copy of your appeal to the Forestry Commission. This is a safeguard in case your appeal is not acknowledged.
Email: commissioners@forestrycommission.gov.uk
What happens after I submit an appeal?
The appeal will be handled in accordance with the procedures set out in the Forestry Act 1967 and will ultimately be decided by the Secretary of State.