Issues with Trees Throughout Birmingham
As a city with a mix of historic green spaces and modern developments, Birmingham is a location where trees can cause several problems. For instance, trees in public places may be old, trees in residential areas may be diseased with ash dieback, and trees next to roads may be damaged by extreme weather conditions such as high winds and heavy rain. Whenever any of the above has happened, a potential risk arises, threatening the safety of nearby people and infrastructure.
Not only can diseased, unstable or veteran trees infringe on public safety, but tree roots can also add to the issues, damaging pavements and disrupting underground utilities. Specific tree activities can make matters worse too, with construction work involving digging, excavation and soil compaction near to trees causing root instability and an increased chance of tree failure.
Between tree safety concerns and any legal obligation set by a conservation area and/or tree preservation order (TPO), trees can be difficult to deal with, or at least they can be without the help of fully qualified tree surveyors. VALID tree risk management services will uncover every possible safety concern caused by trees in the vicinity, supporting landowners wanting to demonstrate legal compliance, tree owners wanting to guarantee tree safety, and developers wanting to secure planning permission.
Uses for a VALID Tree Risk Assessment
Also known as a tree risk survey or tree condition survey, the option of a VALID tree risk assessment will apply to a number of different situations and circumstances. More than anything, using one to support planning applications during developments is common, as it provides a developer with further information about the health, risks and stability of present trees. They are also frequently conducted by property owners and landowners as a legal duty of care enforced by the Occupiers’ Liability Act 1957.
Mortgage providers may also request VALID tree surveys during a property purchase, acting as mortgage reports to guide their final decision. Alternatively, the VALID tree assessment process has been known to help gauge the hazards of trees in high-traffic areas, extreme weather and emergencies. The scope of VALID surveys also allows for inspecting an urban or woodland area, parks, schools, streets and commercial zones in and around Birmingham, and they can also assist with veteran tree surveys.
Process for Integrating Tree Risk Management
During the process of managing tree risk, two ways of carrying out the process are used, starting with a basic visual assessment before moving on to a detailed risk assessment.
Ground-level tree inspections will highlight any obvious risk features and signs of instability on the trees, such as cracks and decay. Any trees that need further analysis will be noted down and involved in the secondary stage. Three factors make up the risk assessments: questioning the likelihood of tree failure, the likelihood of occupancy in terms of people and property in the impact area, and the consequences of tree failure if it were to happen, such as the damage to infrastructure or injury to nearby people.
A traffic light system designed by the VALID application will then determine the level of risk. The colours range from red to green, with each of them deciding whether the risk is acceptable or tolerable before stating if any changes need to be made. More difficult situations could need advanced assessments involving aerial inspections or sonic tomography. A report will then be created to offer expert advice to the client, confirm correct information from the site in Birmingham, and detail the risk rating.
VALID tree reports can help with whatever the purpose of the assessment was, such as demonstrating compliance with health and safety concerns to the local authorities and/or assisting the planning process and applications for planning consent.
Speak to Arbtech About VALID Tree Risk Services
Our arboriculturists are perfectly placed for assisting developers with obtaining planning, as well as any other issues that can be solved with sufficient VALID tree risk management, such as ensuring public safety or meeting the strict requirements of relevant organisations like the Forestry Commission. If further tree inspections are needed, we can also step in to manage those, such as a BS5837 tree survey or tree health survey.
Quotes for all of our services are based on each client’s specific needs, and we subsidise the price for our tree surveys and other assessments by having consultants located all over the country, including Birmingham and other parts of the West Midlands. Developers, tree owners, landowners and anyone else who needs VALID tree risk management are advised to message us by email, phone or our contact page, and we can send you a free quote for a cost-effective evaluation of trees on your site.
