Tree Surveys in Bromley: Tree Solutions for Development

Woodland and Street Trees in the Bromley Area

Of all the London boroughs, Bromley has the largest tree stock. With somewhere in the region of 36,000 trees and over 200 individual species, the town boasts an attractive street scene and resilient ecology. Due to that factor alone, Bromley Council are understandably unwilling to compromise when it comes to the decision to grant or deny planning projects with little or no consideration for local tree care.

It doesn’t, however, mean that the local council in Bromley is opposed to development altogether. If anything, significant work underway to generate the town centre of both Bromley and Beckenham alongside major projects like St Mark’s Square in Bromley South speaks wonders of an intention from the local authority to encourage development providing it isn’t at the expense of the environment.

For developers, homeowners and any other individuals or professionals staging a project in the London borough of Bromley, the local council’s commitment to the environment will need to be honoured and a tree survey will be needed as a demonstration that the protection and preservation of trees has been taken seriously. Without it, it is likely that the development will face costly delays and applications for planning permission will hang in the balance until the local planning authority is satisfied.

Common Protocol for Tree Management

Over 2,000 tree preservation orders (TPOs) and 47 conservation areas feature in Bromley, and it is perfectly likely that more protections will be put in place to defend the abundant tree and hedgerow populations. Any trees that are subjected to either form of safeguarding measure would require prior consent from the local council before development works at any level are allowed to start.

A tree preservation order is usually applied to a single tree and a conservation area is given to a chosen location, applying to all trees within it. It isn’t always clear when these parameters are in place, but if an affected tree ever undergoes any changes without the local authorities receiving notice beforehand, the penalties can range from potentially devastating fines to prison sentences.

BS5837 Assessment and Report

Under what is known as a BS5837 tree survey, each tree will be given a category ranging from A to U that will reflect value and condition. For instance, an example of a tree that would instantly be categorised under A would be the 500-year-old Old Bromley Oak. At the other end of the spectrum, trees that would fall into category U would be any that are classed as dangerous, dying or dead. A sitewide tree inspection would then result in the arboricultural consultant making decisions for every tree based on the assigned categories.

In any scenario, retention will emerge as the priority outcome. Unfortunately, however, this simply isn’t possible if trees are in the way of the development plans to such an extent that nothing can be changed to allow them to stay, or if trees are a health and safety threat or aren’t worth saving. Trees that hold value and possess an expectedly strong longevity will be moved elsewhere inside or outside the site and any trees that are dead or in extremely poor condition will be destroyed and compensated for with the planting of new trees.

Within a comprehensive tree report, extensive information from the tree survey will be displayed for the benefit of the developer, their design team and the local planning authority. Alongside an AutoCAD image that outlines all trees on the site, the tree survey report will also provide data regarding the above-ground canopy and below-ground root protection area. It will also clearly state the next steps for every tree, any recommendations for further surveys and reports such as an arboricultural impact assessment (AIA) or arboricultural method statement (AMS), and other measures that will ensure planning consent.

Reach Out for a No-Obligation Quote

Your tree survey will be conducted by a highly trained local expert who possesses the experience, knowledge and qualifications to undertake the necessary tree surveys. Every member of our team knows the arboricultural particulars of the local area inside out because they have lived and worked there for years. All parts of London are covered, meaning our qualified tree consultants can offer the many clients of the area a tree survey – Bromley or elsewhere in a separate London borough.

Part of what has enhanced our tree services is that our arboricultural surveyors carry a wealth of knowledge from providing professional service tree surveys for many years or previously working as tree surgeons in past roles within tree surgery. Using a wide selection of skills, the arboricultural team at Arbtech can solve any tree problem and produce tree reports with the insight and expertise needed to obtain planning permission from the corresponding local council.

Before you commit to our tree services, feel free to request a free quote to review. It will be created based on the specifications of your development site and planning project, and if you are happy with it, all you need to do is send it back to us and we can get the ball rolling. Either visit our contact page or call us directly, and we will begin the process of organising the tree surveys you need for your development, conduct a tree inspection, ensure the utmost tree care, and secure planning consent.