On the Tamworth estates, much of the pruning is on trees planted in the 1960s and 1970s that are now taller than anyone expected: birch, cherry and whitebeam shading small gardens in Stonydelph, Belgrave and Wilnecote. In Amington, and in the Lichfield villages of Whittington, Shenstone and Hopwas, the trees are older and bigger, and a crown reduction or lift is often the way to keep an oak or lime without losing the light.
Branch and Bramble doesn't do the work. We pass your enquiry to one local tree surgeon who covers WS13, WS14, B77, B78 and B79, and they confirm a fixed price with you directly.
What crown reduction costs in Lichfield & Tamworth
| Tree size | Crown reduction | Pruning, crown lift, thin or deadwood |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 5m) | £220–£300 | £180–£280 |
| Medium (5–10m) | £320–£480 | £280–£400 |
| Large (10–15m) | £480–£750 | £400–£600 |
| Over 15m | Free survey | Free survey |
Prices include chipping and taking away the cuttings. A light reduction on an estate birch or cherry is usually a small or medium job priced from photos. An old oak on a Whittington or Hopwas plot is more often over 15 metres and surveyed first. The crown reduction cost guide goes into more detail.
What pushes the price up here
- How much comes off. A light reduction is quicker than a heavy one and leaves less waste.
- What's underneath. Branches over a conservatory, greenhouse or garage roof have to be lowered on ropes.
- Access. If cuttings go out through the house, or the tree is more than 20 metres from the van, expect around 15% on top. Keeping the chippings takes about £75 off.
- Over the road. Staffordshire County Council expects roadside tree work to follow Chapter 8 of the Traffic Signs Manual, with £5 million public liability cover. Trees over a road are priced after a visit.
- More than one tree. Two or three trees cost about 1.8 times one, and four or more about 2.5 times.
Getting a Lichfield application right
Pruning a protected tree needs permission, just like felling. In Lichfield District you apply, or give six weeks' notice for a conservation area tree, through the council's ezyPortal. Tamworth Borough applications go through the Planning Portal.
Lichfield is specific about wording. Its checklist gives examples like "T1 Oak, crown lift to 4.5m above ground level" and "T2 Beech, crown reduce by 2m". It says vague terms such as "lopping" or "pruning" will not be accepted. Each tree has to be numbered on a sketch plan, with your reason, such as clearance over a drive. A good tree surgeon will write that specification for you.
Lichfield also recommends tree surgeons who work to British Standard 3998:2010. It warns that ignoring the standard on a protected tree could lead to prosecution of the tree surgeon or the owner. It adds that a tree that took many years to grow can be destroyed or disfigured in minutes by poor work, which is the case against topping. It suggests getting a written quote and checking for £5 million insurance and NPTC chainsaw certificates.
Honeydew, leaves and council trees
Not reasons to prune. Lichfield District gets many complaints about sticky "sap" on cars. It says this is usually honeydew, a sugary liquid made by aphids living in the tree. It says neither honeydew nor leaf and seed fall is a legal nuisance. Neither justifies pruning or removing a protected tree, so an application based only on them is unlikely to succeed.
Overhanging branches. If a neighbour's tree isn't protected or in a conservation area, you can cut overhanging branches back to your boundary, as long as you don't harm the tree's overall health. You must offer the cuttings to the owner. If they don't want them, disposing of them is your job, even if it costs. For a protected tree, Lichfield lets anyone apply, including for a neighbour's tree that overhangs your garden.
Council and street trees. Lichfield District Council manages around 30,000 trees and hedges in its parks and open spaces, including Beacon Park. Trees on or by the road are for Staffordshire County Council, the highway authority. When Lichfield felled seven hybrid black poplars in Beacon Park in September 2025, it said pruning is always considered first. On a severely decayed tree, though, pruning can't remove the risk. The poplars had been planted in the 1960s, and the council said the species tends to live 40 to 60 years.
The nesting season
Tamworth Borough Council warns that work on trees or hedges which disturbs nesting birds or bats, or destroys their habitat, between March and August is a criminal offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is one reason heavy reductions are often planned for autumn and winter. See our guide to the nesting season.
What the job involves
- Agreeing the target. You and the specialist agree how much height and spread to lose, in metres. In Lichfield, that becomes the wording of your application.
- Climbing in. A climber sets a rope high in the tree and works out along the limbs.
- Cutting to growth points. Each branch is shortened back to a smaller side branch that can take over, with no stubs left.
- Clearing up. Cuttings are lowered, chipped and taken away, unless you keep the chippings.
If the tree has to go, see tree removal. For a tree cut back to the same framework every few years, see pollarding.
Questions about crown reduction and tree pruning in Lichfield & Tamworth
Why did Lichfield District Council send back my application to "prune" a tree?
Probably because the wording was too vague. Lichfield's checklist says terms like "lopping" or "pruning" won't be accepted. It wants each tree numbered on a plan, with the exact work, such as "crown reduce by 2m", and the reason. Incomplete applications may not be validated until the missing details arrive.
Will Lichfield let me reduce a protected lime because of honeydew on my car?
Unlikely. Lichfield District says honeydew is not a legal nuisance and doesn't justify pruning or removing a protected tree. A modest crown lift or thin for another reason, such as clearance over a drive, is a stronger application.
When is the nesting season for tree work in Tamworth?
Tamworth Borough Council gives March to August as the period when disturbing nesting birds or bats through tree or hedge work is an offence. The offence is the disturbance, so the specialist checks the tree for nests and roosts before any work, and heavy reductions are easier to plan for autumn and winter.
Who prunes a tree overhanging the road in Lichfield or Tamworth?
If the tree is in your garden, you do. Staffordshire County Council, the highway authority, can serve notice requiring you to cut back a tree that obstructs the road or pavement, blocks drivers' view or covers a street light. Report a tree that is on the highway itself to the county council on 0300 111 8000.