Making a formal application
If you would like to plant any trees, shrubs, grasses, flowers or plants along the highway, you must first make a formal application. There are a number of standard conditions which you must adhere to when making your application. For example, you must obtain public liability insurance in excess of £5 million before we can issue you with a licence.
Planting must not obstruct drivers' visibility at junctions, bends, or private entrances, and the maintenance of the planting will also remain your responsibility.
You can apply to plant in the highway by:
- Printing and completing the PDF form attached to this page and posting it to the relevant divisional office (contact addresses are provided on the application form).
- Completing the on-line application form. Please note, if you complete the on-line application, you will need to send a copy of your public liability insurance, plan of the area you wish to cultivate and permission from the utility companies to the relevant divisional office at a later date.
Guidance is provided on the application form, but if you should need any further help, please contact our Customer Services department on 0345 678 9006.
Standard conditions
You must read and agree to the following conditions, prior to making an application to plant.
- In the event of an emergency, the council and service providers reserve the right to remove any plants, and will not be liable to reimburse damage caused.
- Planting must not obstruct visibility at junctions and/or bends, or private entrances.
- The proposed site of planting must adjoin the land occupied by the licensee.
- Licensees are advised that any planting should not enclose the highway and that the land (the subject of the licence) remains highway over which the general public are free to exercise their rights of passage. Existing boundary features between the area and the licensee’s land must be maintained, and under no circumstances changed.
- The maintenance of all existing and proposed plants, trees or shrubs is the responsibility of the licensee.
- Poisonous species, or species which are likely to constitute a high risk to persons or animals, are not permitted under any circumstance.
- Planting new shrubs and trees will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances. New planting of flowers (maximum height of 300mm when mature) must be included on a plan.
- The licence shall be annexed to papers relating to the premises and shall remain in force until withdrawn by the authority.
- The licence is issued to the owner or occupier - a new application is required if this changes.
- The licensee should indemnify the council from any claims which result from injury, damage or loss arising out of the planting or presence of highway trees, shrubs, plants, grass or other such vegetation to which the license relates. The licensee will hold public liability insurance (of no less than £5 million) to cover any potential claims.
- The licence may be rescinded at any time if the conditions listed here or within the Highways Act 1980 are not met, and/or the land is not maintained to a suitable level.
- All relevant consents (if any) must be obtained for the works covered by the licence.
Data protection statement
Shropshire Council will use the data you provide for the sole purpose of processing your application. Your personal details will be retained for a maximum of three years and will not be passed on to any other parties. If you want to remove your details from our records, please contact the Highways Maintenance team.