Tree Reports & Surveys
Our Arboricultural Consultants carry out three main types of tree report:
TREE REPORTS FOR SAFETY
(Tree Hazard & Condition Report)
Conducting a Tree Risk Assessment is considered best practice for landowners who own trees on land bordering public property or whose land is open to the public. They can also be useful to homeowners who are concerned about their own trees or whose neighbours are concerned. The tree reports record information on the species, age and condition of the trees, noting their future potential and any issues which may affect their safety.
Your Obligations – anyone who owns or manages land with trees has a legal duty to ensure that they are in a safe condition. Commercial premises have a further obligation to undertake regular tree surveys so that trees do not cause foreseeable damage. Guidance issued by the Government advises that a tree survey is regularly undertaken by a professional tree surveyor. Failure to do so may leave those responsible liable to prosecution.
How TD Trees can help – we will carry out a tree survey to identify hazardous trees, identifying prioritised recommendations to reduce owner liability. Our arboricultural experts are suitably qualified, and we are proud to be one of the very few registered users of Quantified Tree Risk Assessment (QTRA) in Scotland.
We Offer Two Different Tree Surveys:
- A full inventory of all trees on site and
- A walkthrough or ‘negative’ tree survey, identifying only those trees requiring works within the next year.
A full inventory gives a good starting point for long-term management and can form the baseline of a woodland management plan.
A walkthrough survey provides you with all the information required to create and maintain ‘reasonably safe’ trees.
TD Trees holds comprehensive professional indemnity insurance to back up our survey work. We can give you the peace of mind that by getting a report done and acting upon its recommendations, you have satisfied your ‘duty of care’.
Find out more: the Arboricultural Association has a useful leaflet on Trees and the Law.
TREE REPORTS FOR PLANNING APPLICATIONS
Whenever there are trees on site, a BS5837:2012 Tree Report & Survey is required as part of a planning application. It informs the planning officer of the trees on your site, their location, condition and future potential. The report feeds into their decision-making process and can inform any conditions attached. Clients with trees on their proposed development land often find it helpful to discuss their applications with us prior to submission. This helps avoid planning delays and additional costs.
BS 5837:2012 Trees in relation to design, demolition & construction. Recommendations
This British Standard gives recommendations and guidance on the relationship between trees and development.
TD Trees offers BS 5837: 2012 surveys in four stages:
Stage 1: Arboricultural Constraints Report (ACR) – this report can be used to influence the design of your proposed development. It includes tree positions, crown spread, colour-coded BS5837 Retention Category and Root Protection Areas. A desk search for further arboricultural constraints, such as Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs), Conservation Areas (Cas) or Ancient Woodlands (AWI) identifies the arboricultural constraints on site within its broader environment.
Stage 2: Arboricultural Impact Assessment (AIA) assesses the impact of the design and its infrastructure on the woody vegetation on site. Required tree works will be highlighted and a Tree Protection Plan (TPP), identifying Construction Exclusive Zones (CEZ) and the protection of retained trees conclude the report.
Stage 3: Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) – this will only be required by some developments, where special mitigation measures need to be taken to successfully protect retained trees. The AMS gives clear and precise instructions and specifications on how to successfully implement these mitigation measures.
Stage 4: Replanting Plans (RP) & Biodiversity Enhancement Plans (BEP) – these are increasingly relevant under Scotland’s new National Planning Framework (NPF4). We provide site specific plans to plant the right tree in the right place, and give management recommendations to ensure that the planted trees will benefit the generations to come.
TREE REPORTS FOR MORTGAGE APPLICATIONS
In the last few years it has become more common for Mortgage Lenders to ask for tree reports prior to lending on a property. This is mainly due to an increased number of subsidence claims, which can be expensive to settle. Trees can also damage buildings and structures if they are growing too close. Generally, a tree will not harm a heavy structure with a solid foundation but lighter structures such as garden walls and paving may see damage by tree roots. Our Arborists will produce a report to give you peace of mind and satisfy your mortgage lender.