• Trees: planning and development surveys (to BS5837)

Trees: planning and development surveys (to BS5837)

We employ a full arboricultural team to help and advise you on tree surveys. The requirements for planning are listed below.

For help with your project please contact us on 01483 466000 or get us to call you:

Trees in planning

When developing a site, it is important to consider trees early in the planning process.

With the advent of 1APP in 2008, a tree survey to BS5837 (2005) Trees in Relation to Construction - Recommendations is often a requirement for planning submissions. Full planning permission may then be subject to material conditons to protect trees on site during construction.

Arboricultural surveys and tree constraints plan

Thomson Ecology specialises in providing high quality arboricultural surveys. These surveys identify which trees are of high value and suitable for retention in development proposals and which are of poor quality and do not need to be retained.

We accurately map the exact location of all the trees onto a topographical plan, and then measure the trees and assess their health and quality. Each tree is assigned a category according to its value.

Back in the office, we produce a Tree Constraints Plan. This plots the canopy extent and the Root Protection Area, which is the minimum area around the tree that must be preserved in order to maintain health and stability. This helps you to work out the space available for your plans.

Arboricultural Implications Assessment (AIA)

Once the detailed design for the site has been drawn up,  the more precise effect of the proposed development on the trees can be determined in an Arboricultural Implications Assessment (AIA). This details the likely impact that the design will have on existing trees, including:

• which trees will be removed and which retained,
• how to protect retained trees during construction and
• any special construction techniques that should be used to help protect desirable trees.

Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) and tree protection plan

Once the final design has been produced, we issue an Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) which gives a precise schedule of how retained trees will be protected during construction. The AMS is usually drawn up once planning permission has been obtained and the construction phasing decided. However, local planning authorities are increasingly asking to see generic method statements at the planning submission stage.

The AIA usually includes a tree protection plan visually illustrating tree protection and any special construction measures required.

Trees: site supervision

When prescribed by a planning condition or in an AMS, we undertake site supervision of construction work close to trees to ensure that damage to trees is avoided.

For further information, please contact us on 01483 466000.