If you are planning a new residential or commercial property development in London, Kent or surrounding counties and there are trees either on or adjacent to your site or proposed development area, you will almost certainly need to submit an Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS) when making your planning application to the local authority, or to discharge conditions within the decision notice. In short, an AMS reviews the proposal and the existing trees in detail and sets out the specification for all proposed work operations within the Root Protection Area, to be undertaken in a way which minimises the risk of adverse impact to retained trees as far as practicable.

The Arboricultural Method Statement usually contains a Tree Protection Plan. The Tree Protection Plan is a scale drawing of the proposed development site, with references to all the protective and specialist measures that will need to be taken to protect nearby trees. With detailed instructions on what steps need to be taken to ensure the long-term survival and good health of all retained trees, the plan can be followed by your chosen construction contractor.

This assessment should be prepared by an experienced arboricultural professional or it will not be acceptable to the planning committee. Our arboricultural consultancy has over 10 years of experience, and we are able to prepare detailed arboricultural method statements for all developments big or small, and would be delighted to provide you with the advice and reports you need.

Do You Really Need an Arboricultural Method Statement?

Trees are classed as a ‘Material Consideration’ in the planning process, and councils have a statutory duty to consider the protection and planting of trees when granting planning permission for proposed development, which effectively means the applicant has that duty to trees too. If there are any trees within 15 metres of your proposed development, even on someone else’s property, the council are likely to request an Arboricultural Method Statement at the planning determination stage or as a pre-commencement condition, so they can ensure the development will have the smallest possible impact on retained trees.

Trees provide unparalleled natural beauty, ecosystem services and a strong feeling of connection to nature. If trees aren’t properly considered during building works, you may be seriously damaging your tree without even knowing it! Tree roots spread a lot further, and are much more sensitive to digging and compaction than many people may think. By obtaining professional advice at the early stages of your development design, you can be sure that the trees on or near your property can provide their visual amenity, screening and ecosystem benefits for decades to come, ultimately complementing your development.

If you would like our professional opinion on a specific project, please feel free to contact our consultancy team by phone or email.

What Will an Arboricultural Method Statement Tell You?

An arboricultural method statement will outline the most efficient methods to employ in order to protect all the trees you intend to retain on your development site in the UK. Details should include:

Temporary fencing to protect tree stems and nearby ground
Construction Exclusion zones
Trunk protection
Site access routes
Storage space
Preliminary and post-development tree work
Hard and soft landscaping
Replacement and enrichment tree planting

The method statement that we prepare for you will include detailed instructions that tell you exactly how to ensure the trees on your site are well protected throughout the main construction phase. We will review each operation in order and specify particular working practices and design methods to ensure the trees are adequate protected throughout the development.

Ordering an Arboricultural Method Statement

If you need to arrange for a professional method statement to be prepared, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us. We provide a full service to commercial, public sector and private clients in the United Kingdom.