Tree Surveys in Bolton: Guaranteed Planning Permission

Individual Trees and Woodlands

Offering a broad range of rural areas and situated near to the West Pennine Moors, Bolton boasts of stunning countryside across the town. Due to this, it is vital that Bolton Council has laws and policies that prevent the unnecessary destruction or removal of natural assets and ensure that strict rules designed to encourage conservation are followed, particularly when it comes to retained trees in relation to design, demolition and construction work.

For the many people that are proposing a development project in Bolton and the surrounding areas, finding out that the town actively regulates actions that could hinder biodiversity may seem like a potential setback. By turning to a trusted company for conducting a tree survey on the specific plot of land, however, you can gain assurances that you are operating within the rules, avoid delays to your project, and seal planning permission from the local planning authority.

Tree Preservation Orders from Local Authorities

With a £1 billion investment set to transform Bolton by the year 2030, the local council has implemented rules that will prevent a downward trajectory on the current standard of biodiversity and improve the number of natural assets in the Bolton area following the change.

Applicable to all development projects in Bolton, the current rules cover protecting conservation areas and listed buildings, as well as specific trees and hedgerows. More specifically, Bolton has 26 listed conservation areas, and if you are planning on developing in any of these areas, you will need consent from the council. Likewise, you will also need permission from the council before developing listed buildings and structures of architectural or historical value.

The council must be informed before any development project is carried out if it involves trees that are in a conservation area, protected under a tree preservation order (TPO) or possess a planning condition. It is also mandatory for the council to be informed if a development project involves hedges that are protected. As there are many cases of conservation areas and TPOs, it is perfectly likely that your development project could be impacted by these rules, but you can check for protected trees and hedgerows in Bolton online.

Bolton Tree Surveys and Reports

In an effort to avoid any actions that could potentially breach conservation rules in Bolton, the most advisable option would be to have a BS5837 tree survey conducted by a qualified arboriculturist. Throughout this process, the tree surveyor will be able to analyse the plot of land properly and provide the necessary next steps and insight that will contribute to achieving planning permission. A tree survey is an assessment whereby arboricultural consultants will evaluate all trees on a plot of land before formulating arboricultural advice for trees in relation to design, demolition and construction work.

As the main purpose is to provide tree surveys with a pragmatic approach, acknowledgement of potential health and safety issues and a focus on tree protection, the tree surveyor will also aim to support retained trees as much as possible. Unfortunately, protecting trees isn’t always possible and individual trees will need to be relocated or destroyed as a result of the proposed development. From the tree survey information, the arboricultural consultants will be able to judge the potential impact of the development at ground level, helped by experience in tree services, the detailed information of the arboricultural assessment and the necessary coverage, with all arboricultural consultants fully insured and possessing the professional indemnity and public liability insurance.

After tree surveys are complete, the tree consultant will detail the results of the survey in arboricultural reports, along with a CAD drawing known as a tree constraints plan (TCP) that clearly outlines present trees in relation to the proposed development site. Depending on the findings of the tree survey, such a report may outline that more assessments are needed. A BS5837 tree survey and any other applicable tree surveys will contribute to planning conditions, acting as supporting evidence to bolster the application for planning permission. For instance, if needed, our arboricultural consultants can move on to producing further detailed information from a wide range of other tree safety surveys and tree work, such as via an arboricultural impact assessment (AIA), arboricultural method statement (AMS) and tree protection plans (TPPs) as part of stage two.

Quotes for an Arboricultural Survey

One of the most important factors in a development project is gaining planning permission from the corresponding planning authority. In order to do this, you will need to prove that you are approaching the project correctly and addressing trees on the site in a suitable manner by booking tree surveys with a trusted company that has experience in managing tree stock and undertaking the necessary checks.

Although there are many arboricultural consultancies to choose from, Arbtech offers a strong track record for meeting client demands in domestic and commercial sectors and – even more importantly – ensuring that your planning application has everything required for approval. To book a Bolton tree survey, contact us today, and once you have spoken to our team, we will provide you with a quote that is specific to your plot of land and development project based on the information you give us and your site address.