Tree Consultancy
Old Oak Tree Care carries out many different kinds of tree consultancy work. The most common are listed below
Trees within the planning process
Trees are a material consideration within the planning process and need to be assessed, valued and, if necessary, protected during the developement.
This is usually stated as a need for a "BS5837 report". The British Standard, BS5837:2012 Trees in relation to design,demolition and construction - Recommendations, sets out the requirements for this process, but not the way in which it should be presented.
Old Oak Tree Care sees it as very important to make its reports definitive, accurate, concise and easy to read. This must be balanced with providing the correct technical detail to the Local Planning Authority, the contractor who will need to carry out the work and the site owner who is unlikley to be interested in complex terminology.
Ideally, I should be consulted before the development has been planned so all trees that may be affected by the development can be assessed. A tree constraints plan is produced, usually from a topographical survey supplied to myself to see which trees may be lost or retained around the site. Plans can be quickly dealt with as I carry out all autocad manipulation myself.
I am sometimes employed after a tree report request has been issued from the LPA. The plans are often in place already and some changes may be neccessary to accommodate or remove trees. I work well with all parites within the planning process to ensure a mutually agreeable solution can be found within the timescales specified by all parties.
Once a design is agreed upon, a tree protection plan is produced to show trees that will be removed and how the trees that remain will be protected during the building process. Along with this, the tree report is written. This describes the site, the trees upon it, values the trees, justifies their loss or retention, explains tree protection, specifies planting if necessary and any special measures that need to be taken.
The tree report can then be sent to the client and LPA to support the application. Old Oak Tree Care is fully conversant with the paperless planning process as well as being able to work in the paper based process.
Questions can sometimes arise or new issues come to light after the tree report. It is easy to add additional information or make separate statements within the planning procedure.
Old Oak Tree Care usually carries out this work on a fixed fee basis to give customers confidence of costs. The fixed fee will cover all arboricultural consultancy work including site visits, report writing, letters written and consultations given until the planning decision is reached.
Just because a tree report has been produced to the required standards, it may still be a barrier to the gaining of planning permisison. If tree loss is considered unacceptable, aesthetics are not considered or retained trees are likely to be put under significant stress, significant problems can occur in the planning process. Using over 12 years of experience of conducting surveys of this type and dealing with Councils, I will give a honest opinon of how proposals will be consided by the tree officers at the local council.
Planning Conditions
Planning conditions, which come attached to the granting of planning permission, will sometimes have conditions attached to them in relation to trees. Usually there is a requirment for a Tree Protection Plan, Arboricultrural Method Statement and details of how trees are to be protected. All these items can be provided, again at a fixed fee to discharge the specified planning condition.
Tree hazard assessments
Trees can be large and cause concern to people living or working around them.
Certain events such as storms, other tree removal or decay can increase this concern.
Old Oak Tree Care takes a holistic approach to hazard assessment, acknowledging up to date risk assessment standards in tree care whilst taking note of case law to ensure a balanced, defendable and practicable approach can be justified when considering risk associated with trees.
Tree and woodland surveys
Small or large sites can be surveyed to assess their potential in creating woodlands of a desired nature.
Be it for crop, leisure or for amenity, a woodland plan will help to achieve the desired goal.
Aerial tree inspection and surveys
Occasionally, a tree needs a close inspection from within the tree itself, possibly to investigate damage within the crown. This can be done by lifting an inspector up from the ground by using a mobile elevated work platform.
However a climbing inspection, where the inspector climbs the tree, tends to be more thorough and becomes more hands on and accurate. It will usually be much cheaper too.
Work to trees with Tree Preservation Order applications
I can work with a client to produce a plan of work to trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO). I can submit this to the Local Planning Authority (LPA) and ensure permission. It is important to ensure that work to trees is beneficial and sympathetically carried out.
Tree Preservation Order consultations and challenges
Where Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) or Conservation Orders become problematic, I can provide expert opinion on all sides of TPO legislation.
Mortgage reports in relation to trees
A mortgage lender may have concerns about a tree close to a property during the process of buying a house. Old Oak Tree Care can produce a report to assess trees in this situation.
Expert witness
Working in the field of planning/civil or criminal law. Presenting evidence to solicitors, barristers, inspectors, court or inquiries as written evidence or giving oral evidence. I also undertake work as single joint expert witnesses in civil litigation.
Mediation
Where trees or high hedges become an unresolved problem between neighbours, with both parties approval, a mediated solution can be accomplished.
David Bailey is fully qualified to undertake these operations and holds professional indemnity insurance to £1 million.