Time for a trim? What to do if your trees need a haircut.

In the March edition of the Planning Market Insight Report, provided by the Planning Portal, there was an article from the Arboricultural Association regarding trees and their experiences throughout COVID regarding the safety of tree surgeons, government guidelines but also about their concerns that more works to trees were occurring as people were spending more time in their gardens and the need for people to undertake these projects in the appropriate manner.  

When looking to carry out works to trees, it is important to remember that some trees are protected by legislation, and you need to ensure you establish the legal status of the tree prior to starting work.  

Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) are administered by Local Planning Authorities and are made to protect trees that bring significant amenity benefits to the local area. Normal TPO procedures apply if a tree in a conservation area is already protected by a TPO. However, if a tree in a conservation area is not covered by a TPO, you have to give written notice to the LPA (by letter, email, or on the LPA’s form) of any proposed work describing what you want to do, at least six weeks before the work starts. 

These forms are often not in a truly accessible format on Local Authority websites and can cause issues regarding the accuracy of the information provided and thus creating further issues for homeowners, tree surgeons and the local authority.  

To help negate these issues, and to ensure you are providing accurate information, you can use TerraQuest’s Planning Maps to submit your information with the knowledge your application will be accurate, compliant and specific enough to help speed up application processes.  

By using ReQuestaPlan, you will be able to:  

• Add detail to plans such as tree canopies, trunks, hedgerows, and measurements from roots to above ground level, all onto a PDF without the need for a CAD license.  
• Provide your tree surgeon with a clear layout of the proposed work, minimising any accidental damage to other trees in the area.  
• Create multiple plans in quick succession making larger projects easier to manage with a streamlined approach for applications.  
• Ensure all applications regarding trees are compliant with The Tree Preservation Order and Conservation Area Planning Application Guidelines.  
• Utilise the online drawing tools to help navigate specific requirements – this extra detail can help speed up the planning process.  
• Easily highlight the areas where the work will take place using our quick and simple to use tools.

Create your plan today!