Project Background
Arbtech were recently approached to provide a quote on a large development in Waverley, Surrey. Our client was investigating the feasibility of moving forward with the development of a number of dwellings on a piece of land they owned and found us online when looking for someone who can provide tree surveys in the Surrey area.
This project required a number of services including a preliminary ecological appraisal, a BS5837 tree survey (which includes a tree constraints plan), an arboricultural impact assessment, and method statements.
Beautiful Surrey Countryside
About the Area
Surrey has great transport links due to it’s close proximity to London and Heathrow and Gatwick airports and is an area know for having particularly high house prices. It’s also know for it’s beautiful woodland and is actually the most wooded county in England with some popular areas such Box Hill, Frensham Ponds and Newlands Corner. A great deal of Surrey falls in the Metropolitan Green Belt – an area around London where urbanisations and development is restricted.
Some of the major towns in Surrey include Addlestone, Ashford, Guildford, Woking, Ewell, Fanham and Camberley. Arbtech have provided many tree surveys in these areas during our time providing arboricultural services in the Surrey area.
Arbtech tree surveyors carrying out a tree survey in Surrey
Getting Started
The first thing we did was ask for a copy of the client’s site plans. We received these promptly, enabling us to get a detailed understanding of the site, which meant that we could provide an accurate quote for a preliminary ecological appraisal, and the standard suite of arboricultural planning works; broken down as follows:
Stage 1
BS5837 tree survey, tree constraints plan (TCP) drawing, and summary report. Here we categorise the trees according to their quality and likely influence on the development. The canopies and root protections zones are shown graphically on a scaled plan; the TCP.
Stage 2a
Arboricultural impact assessment. This is where we would prepare an overlay of the TCP and the client’s scheme, identifying any constraints and opportunities to develop the site with a tree retention and removal balance that would satisfy the client’s planning authority.
Stage 2b
Method statement and tree protection plan (TPP). This involves the preparation of a BS5837-compliant method statement and TPP drawing.
Our quote was sent to the client in Waverley, Surrey which explained all the work that would be carried out in an easy to understand manner along with an expected time frame for the work to be done.
Before instructing us to start the work, our client had some feedback from their architect, so it was agreed we would attend a site meeting with the client and his architect, to offer some preliminary view on the realistic development constraints presented by boundary trees, before any designs were worked up.
Starting the Surveys
Following on from the initial discussions and quoting for the scope of work, we assigned consultant supremo David Garrick to the project. Dave has been with Arbtech for many years and specialises in BS5837 tree surveys. Dave works from his home office in Kent but covers many areas in the south of England including West London, and Surrey.
Dave contacted the client to arrange a mutually convenient date for the first phase of the project – the BS5837 tree survey, TCP drawing, and summary report to be completed. Once the report was ready, the client’s architect was sent copies to inform the final stages of the design process.
Having completed the survey, Dave hands things over to Matthew Middle to undertake the stage 2a/b works. Matt has almost 10 years of experience at producing arboricultural impact assessments and method statements for development projects.
Matt took the initial TCP drawing and combined it with the architect’s proposed scheme. This drawing-led approach to the impact assessment, method statement and TPP combines all of the relevant information into a progressive series of drawings, avoiding lengthy commentaries, saving time (and thus cost) and making the ‘big picture’ a lot clearer for the client, and the planning authority.
Results
Our client was given planning permission for the development with no objections or requests for further information in respect to arboriculture. Construction is currently underway on the land in Waverley, Surrey.
If you would like to discuss any aspects of your arboricultural or ecological requirements for your site in Surrey, please drop us a line today; we would be very pleased to help you. Alternatively, you can read what previous clients think of David’s work here.