Development Partnership Forum 18th February 2014

1. Development Partnership Forum18th February 2014 The Purpose of Tree Surveys

2. PLANNING FOR TREES WHY SURVEY TREES? - LEGISLATION Section 197 of the Town & Country Planning Act: “It shall be the duty of the local planning authority— (a) to ensure, whenever it is appropriate, that in granting planning permission for any development adequate provision is made, by the imposition of conditions, for the preservation or planting of trees; and (b) to make such orders under Section 198 as appear to the authority to be necessary in connection with the grant of such permission, whether for giving effect to such conditions or otherwise.”

3. PLANNING FOR TREES WHY SURVEY TREES?– NATIONAL / LOCAL POLICIES National Planning Policy Framework 11. Conserving and enhancing the natural environment Borough Strategy 2010-2015 Theme 5: Improving health and support for independent lives + Theme 7: Creating a cleaner and better environment = Environment StrategyGreen Infrastructure Strategy Core Strategy CS16: Valuing our Natural Environment - Sites and Policies DPD: residential (SP22); commercial (SP24)

4. PLANNING FOR TREES WHY & HOW TO SURVEY TREES? - NATIONAL GUIDANCE Tree preservation orders: a guide to the law and good practice DETR 2000 British Standards Institute 5837 (2012): Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction – Recommendations - trees = a constraint (like anything else); - ‘competent person’ - weed out poor trees: see what’s left; - use to inform the design process…… …………………………GOOD QUALITY DEVELOPMENT

5. PLANNING FOR TREES

6. PLANNING FOR TREES WHY SURVEY TREES? - LOCAL GUIDANCE Validation checklist Doncaster Council Planning Application Information Requirements and Validation Checklist Approved January 2009 http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/Search/searchsite.aspx?q=validation%20checklist

9. PLANNING FOR TREES NO TREE SURVEY? - can lead to poor quality design e.g. development poorly sited in relation to retained trees; - misplaced retention of poor quality trees; - unresolved objections; - tendency for pre-conceived designs which conflict with site constraints; = Planning delays

10. PLANNING FOR TREES One final thought……………………. In view of the fact that tree issues are often emotive during the planning process, Local Planning Authorities mostly use tree survey information to help justify development in the face of objections to loss of trees.

11. PLANNING FOR TREES CONTACTS DMBC Trees and Hedgerows Officers (Planning) Jonathan Tesh (01302)735080; jonathan.tesh@doncaster.gov.uk Timothy Bryant (01302) 735077; timothy.bryant@doncaster.gov.uk