Trees and Planning issues

 

The Arboricultural Survey carried out on behalf of the developers reports on 132 items:  68 individual trees, 52 groups of trees, and 12 hedges.  The condition of all trees was defined and any remedial work or monitoring requirements recorded.  The root protection zones for these items were recorded, and the trees/groups were designated with retention categories as follows:

 

 

Category A:  Retention most desirable                     2 oaks with Tree Preservation Orders on eastern boundary

 

Category B:  Retention desirable                            20

 

Category C:  Could be retained                             102 

 

Category R:  Tree for removal                                  1

 

[some trees had been removed since the original count; one tree is categorised as U, which is not defined.]

 

Most of the trees on the boundaries with existing housing are defined as Category B.  The mature beech trees on Russell Drive are defined as Category A. 

 

It is not clear what parameters have been used to identify a tree as appropriate for assessment, but access difficulties are reported to have limited some of the survey work;  however, it is somewhat surprising that of the 132 items assessed, only 46 are fruit trees in an area of 228 plots, albeit some derelict.  A survey carried out by the gardeners on 55 plots recorded 311 fruit trees as follows:  

 

Apple 145, Bullace 7, Cherry 8, Damson 36, Greengage 5, Pear 20, Plum 27, Other 63.  Total: 311

[Other = Kiwi 1, Apricot 1, Filbert 2, Fig 3, Grape 55, Nectarine 1]

 

The Appeal Decision Report issued by the Planning Inspectorate defines a schedule of 25 Conditions attached to the granting of Outline Planning Permission, including :

 

“12.  Prior to the commencement of development, including any works of site clearance or ground preparation, details of a scheme for the retention and enhancement of existing trees and hedgerows within and around the perimeter of the site shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority.  The scheme to be submitted shall include, but is not restricted to: a survey of existing trees and hedgerows and an indication of those to be retained and enhanced; a timetable for implementation of the scheme to be approved.  Development shall be carried out in accordance with the approved details and timetable. 

 

“13.  Prior to the commencement of development, including any works of site clearance or ground preparation, an Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) specifying the measures to be put in place for the protection of those trees and hedgerows shown as being retained pursuant to condition 12 above, shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the local planning authority. The AMS shall be prepared in accordance with the principles set out in BS 5837:2012 – Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction: Recommendations. Development shall be carried out in accordance with approved AMS.  “

 

The British Standard referred to in ~13~ above and as the standard complied with by the authors of the Arboricultural Report – BS 5837:2012, Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction - does not relate to the ecological value of trees, only to the way they are assessed and dealt with before and during site development.  This is possibly the reason that the majority of the trees assessed are in the area designated for housing; a few others are in the area designated for remediation and redesign of the Bilborough Brook, the Public Open Space and the Wildlife Area.  It is difficult to understand the lack of provision – or indeed respect – for the trees on the residual allotment area which is to be ploughed and reconfigured.  There are very few trees in this part of the site which are categorised for special consideration, and fruit trees are virtually ignored.  The loss of the mass of blossom produced by the fruiting trees will have a negative impact on bees and other pollinators; it is not just the volume of blossom – the apple trees especially include a mix of both old and new varieties which results in a wide time-spread of blossom.  It will be years before this resource is replaced and producing the amount of blossom currently available to pollinators, and it is more than likely that in the future there will be almost a mono-culture of modern varieties grown, with a resultant diminution in the spread of the blossom season. 

 

The Arboricultural Report also cites in its Appendix 3 - General Guidelines:- "All work to be to British Standard BS 3999:2010, Recommendations for Tree Work."  This presumably applies to all future arboricultural work on the site during the development phase.  

 

As the current indicative Landscape Masterplan proposes a complete reconfiguration and realignment of the remaining allotments and the avenues serving them, it is difficult to envisage how many existing trees and hedgerows can possibly be retained in that area.  The loss of approximately six miles of current hedgerow will have a large negative impact on the ecology of the area; although the plans include the improvement of some of the boundary hedges, the hedges between plots will be newly laid out with either post and rail or post and wire or 'some' replacement planting.  It will take a number of years for maturity to be regained.  This is not good news for the flora and fauna, especially birds and other species which use the trees and hedges for food, shelter and nesting; the over-wintering birds especially will have their winter harvest drastically reduced.    

 

The Arboricultural Report from the Planning Application is available here  :  (second item on the Documents list). 

It includes a table reporting the assessment of each tree/hedge, including Tree Preservation Order status, and a map indicating their retention category and root protection area.  

 

The photographs in the main Trees section of this website are annotated as follows:

 

RC-x = Retention Category as defined in the Arboricultural Survey

H = height

Tnn =  Tree number in the Arboricultural Survey

Gnn =  Group number in the Arboricutural Survey

Hnn =  Hedge number in the Arboricultural Survey

 

 A useful guide 'Trees and Development: A Guide to Best Practice', is available here.