Design consultancy
(Optimising the landscape potential of trees)

Informal advice on draft layouts produced without any tree constraints input:

This informal advice on potentially beneficial layout changes is useful where you already have a draft layout but have not prepared it with the benefits of constraints advice. Following our site visit, we will informally advise where adjustments might be appropriate to improve the use of the site and the chances of a successful planning application.

Formal desktop study for 1APP verification:

With the recent introduction of the 1APP rules, it is now necessary to submit a tree survey with all planning applications that may affect trees. If trees are obviously not going to be affected by the development, we can often set this out in a desktop study using aerial photos instead of visiting the site. We then package our assessment as a formal letter, which still complies with the 1APP requirements, but significantly reduces the cost of the advice. This has proved very popular where trees are a marginal issue but have to be formally recognised in the planning submissions.

Our arboricultural impact appraisal plan shows all the trees, their categories, the tree protective measures and any areas where special precautions will be required. It is the main reference for co-ordinating all the tree issues on the site.

Formal arboricultural impact appraisal report to support a planning application:

This is our principal formal report for supporting planning applications where there may be an impact on trees. It is technical in nature, setting out the tree details, what the impact of the proposal will be and how the trees to be retained will be protected during development. Its focus is a plan showing all the trees by number and category, the location of the proposed development and the location of the proposed tree protection.

Our landscape impact appraisal plans show the location of new trees and illustrative examples of what they will look like. This is very helpful when trying to visualise the landscape contribution of new trees and how local character may be enhanced.

Supplementary structural landscape impact appraisal to support a planning application:

This is an optional report that adds a visual landscape aspect to the main arboricultural impact appraisal report. It is most useful where development is contentious and a graphic presentation of impact on landscape character will dispel unfounded criticisms from objectors. Its focus is on photos and plans to provide a positive visual representation of trees retained and new planting compared to the impact of tree losses. This report focuses on issues such as the size and prominence of new planting, using graphic illustrations to emphasise the benefits to local character. It is often difficult to visualise the beneficial landscape impact of new planting and so we have evolved a series of graphics based on actual tree photos. These help illustrate what new trees will look like at planting and at various time intervals into the future as the new development settles into the surrounding landscape. Alternatively, it is often useful to illustrate on the plans where new tree planting will go and what it will look like using photos. We can even go as far as providing photos of the actual trees that will be planted through close liaison with specialist suppliers such as Hilliers, Civic Trees or Barcham Nurseries.

Formal arboricultural method statement to support a planning application:

In some instances, where a council understands and accepts the impact of a proposal on trees, the arboricultural impact appraisal report can be superseded with a more concise arboricultural method statement report. This is a formal report focusing on tree protection details, with illustrative specifications that cross-reference to a location plan.

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