Frequently Asked Questions - BS5837:2012 Tree Surveying
How long will the survey take?
The duration of the site survey can depend on the number of trees, accessibility of the site and the quality or availability of topographic data provided. As a rough guide, a site survey of a typical residential property or development plot might consist of a mornings of work.
Do I need to be present on the day of the site survey?
You do not need to be present on site on the day of survey so long as unimpeded access is available to the survey area. Any gates must be open and keys or gate codes provided. It is however preferable to meet as this is an excellent opportunity to discuss your proposal and any relevant interactions you may have had with the Local Planning Authority in relation to your design. If access is not able to be made on the arranged day, a charge may be made to cover lost time.
Will you need access to neighbouring land /properties?
If there are third party trees bordering the site it can be useful to have access to assess these however, this is not essential. Often, enough information can be gathered from the site to complete the report with a sufficient level of accuracy. This does depend somwhat on the size and significace of trees on neighbouring land.If access can be granted to measure directly this is preffered.
I want to save money, can I just have an Initial Assessment? Do I need an Impact Assessment?
The Initial Assessment collects detailed information about trees at the site that may be impacted by development and allows an assessment of their amenity value and contribution to be made based on the site in its present state. This stage is necessary in order to collate information for the production of the Impact Assessment. A tree survey (site assessment) in this context is not a stand alone service and on its own will not provide the necesarry information to support your planning application.
What information do I need to provide?
The quality of your tree report relies somewhat on the information you can provide. BS5837:2012 stipulates that best practice is to base the tree survey on a topographcial survey. If you are not sure if you have one discuss this with your planning consultant or architect. The primary reason a topographical survey is recommended is that it provides a high degree of accuracy which may influence the advice given in relation to position and extent of impact to trees. In some instances we will stipulate a topographical survey as an essential project prerequisite. A topographical survey is our preference however it is possible to provide adequate assessment based on OS Master Map data or similar CAD tiles (which may require an additional fee).
I already know I will need to cut trees down to facilitate my design, should I remove trees before the tree survey?
This is often refered to as pre-felling and although the land owner may be perfectly within their right to do so it can be problematic, particularly if there are Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) present or the site is within a conservation area. There may be other restrictions on the property that affect the viability of pre-felling and in most cases it is not required as this can be discussed as part of our survey and feedback process when we review your propsoed design. In most cases, felling of trees is an acceptable part of the BS5837:2012 assessment process and local planning authorities will be familiar with this. Removing high quality trees prior to our involvement is poor practice, devalues the sevice we provide and may result in planning enforcment action, emergency TPOs, increased scruitiny from your local planning authority and potentially legal action against the land owner. The status of trees is checked as part of our report process and suitable advice given. In all instances we provide the required advice and guidance to maximise positive outcomes.
Do I need permission to cut my trees down?
There are a number of potential restrictions that may require the land owner to seek permission prior to tree removal. The most common of these are Tree Preservation Orders and conservation area status. A TPO is legal protection specific to individual or group of trees at an address. Intentional contravention of TPO is a criminal offence and one that can carry significant fines. Conservation areas typically afford protection to the built environment however trees are afforded consideration in this process. In both instances you are required to seek permission to fell from your local authority. If you are developing a site and submitting a planning application to your local planning authority and gain full permission you do not need to carry out further checks as all tree works identified in the supporting tree report will have been considered as part of your full planning permission and therefore supercede TPO and conservation area status. Only work identified within tree reports is permitted to occur in this instance. Any additional tree works not identified in the supporting arboricultural report will require additional permission.
When will I get my report?
We do everything we can to provide a prompt and professional service. The best way to ensure no delay in the provision of your report is to follow the guidance provided in our fee letter. This includes providing us with all the project prerequisits and ensuring prompt payment of invoices. We have a range of fee options available to suit your desired timescales and can provide bespoke delivery timescales.
Who do you work for? Is my information secure?
You are the client, you appoint us as consultants to provide guidance in relation to your forthcoming planning application. All information is stored securely and no information is shared with third parties. We do not pass information to local authorities or any other entity as part of our appointment. We act only under your instruction if such action is desired. We comply with all relevant and current data security processess, including GDPR.