A tree may take a century to reach maturity, but it can be damaged in only a few minutes on a development site.
Irreparable damage is frequently done to trees in the first days of contractors occupying the site.
This damage is usually caused accidentally, because of a failure to appreciate the vulnerability of trees, particularly their root systems.
To protect against this, we require a tree survey to be submitted with any planning application where trees are on, or close to, the site.
This helps to ensure that trees on a potential development site are fully considered. In order to prevent damage to trees during construction the council also requires a tree protection plan as part of your planning application.