Woodland in and around Gateshead
Home of the famous Angel of the North and connected to Newcastle via seven bridges including the Millennium Bridge, Gateshead is a large town situated in the North East of England. As with other sections of Tyne and Wear, Gateshead was traditionally an industrial town, sourcing the majority of revenue from coal mining, as well as trade through utilisation of the River Tyne.
Based within the Tyne and Wear Green Belt, the natural assets of the town and the surrounding areas are protected by the council. Additionally, over half of Gateshead is rural, making it a location full of extraordinary views and opportunities for future development projects. However, due to such a large portion of the town being greenfield land, the local council ensure that trees and other natural assets aren’t disturbed unless prior consent is granted.
Gateshead Tree Protection
Among the policies of Gateshead Council, trees are mentioned several times. Focusing on any form of disturbance caused by trees, many of the rules apply to both land developers and residents of the town. For example, it is clearly stated that the council should be contacted before any trees belonging to them are altered, moved or knocked down completely. The only exception to this rule, however, is if trees are privately owned. In these circumstances, the developer would have to contact the landowner directly.
Gateshead Council also emphasises the importance of checking trees before they are disturbed as part of a development project and, if they are found to be within a conservation area or under an existing tree preservation order (TPO), the council should be contacted before any invasive work takes place. There are currently 22 conservation areas in Gateshead, and a number of trees could hold valid TPOs. Due to this, it would be worthwhile to book a tree survey with a trained arboriculturist so the multitude of obstacles can be avoided entirely.
Information on the BS5837 Tree Survey
A method of bypassing any potential issues caused by trees that are protected in Gateshead would be through arranging a tree survey. During a tree survey, a trained arboricultural consultant will conduct a thorough analysis of all trees on the site, grade them based on quality, and use these observations to decide whether they are worth retaining or should be moved or destroyed.
After the assessment, the arboricultural consultant who carried out the survey will produce a report outlining trees present on the site and effective recommendations. As well as being a beneficial document for the development project, it will also play a crucial role in the process of gaining planning permission and, as such, should be submitted as part of the application.
Planning a Tree Assessment
In any development project on a site that houses trees, you should ensure that a tree survey is carried out by a reputable arboriculturist. It would also be advisable to book an assessment early to guarantee that a visit to your site can happen at a suitable time, preventing any unnecessary delays to your project.
Book a BS5837 tree survey early by contacting us as soon as possible. You can get in touch over the phone, via email or by filling out the quote form on this page. One of our team will then be in touch with you to give you an accurate price based on your site and project.