Service · South West England
BS5837 tree surveys for planning applications
The tree survey and reports your planning application needs. Prepared to BS5837:2012 so your local planning authority has everything required to make a decision — and so trees are protected properly on site.
- TechArborA
- Dip Level 4 Arb
- QTRA Registered
- LOLER Inspector
What is a BS5837 tree survey?
BS5837:2012, Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction — Recommendations, is the British Standard that local planning authorities use to judge how a development will affect trees. A BS5837 tree survey records every relevant tree on or near the site — its species, height, stem diameter, crown spread, age, condition and expected remaining contribution — and places it in a retention category (A, B, C or U).
From that data each tree is given a Root Protection Area: the minimum area around it that needs protecting during construction so that enough roots survive.
The documents planners look for
At the design stage, the survey and a Tree Constraints Plan show where trees, their root protection areas and their canopies constrain the layout, so the scheme can be designed around the best trees. Once the layout is fixed, an Arboricultural Impact Assessment sets out which trees would be lost or affected and how that is mitigated.
Where trees are kept close to the works, an Arboricultural Method Statement and Tree Protection Plan explain how they'll be protected — fencing, ground protection and any special construction methods. These are often required to discharge planning conditions as well as to validate the application.
Who it's for
- Homeowners and self-builders planning an extension or new home
- Architects, agents and planning consultants
- Property developers and land promoters
- Anyone with a planning condition about trees to discharge
FAQs
Questions about BS5837 tree surveys
When does a planning application need a BS5837 tree survey?
Usually whenever there are trees on the site, or close enough to be affected — including trees on neighbouring land and street trees whose roots or canopies reach over the boundary. Most local planning authorities list arboricultural information on their validation checklists, so a missing survey can stop an application being validated. Send me the site address and plans and I'll tell you what's needed.
When should the tree survey be done?
As early as possible — ideally before the layout is fixed. BS5837:2012 intends the tree survey to inform the design, so the Tree Constraints Plan can shape where buildings, drives and services go. Leaving it until the scheme is drawn often means redesigns, delays or a refusal.
What is a Root Protection Area?
A Root Protection Area (RPA) is the minimum area around a tree that should be protected during construction so that enough roots survive. BS5837:2012 calculates it from the stem diameter — a circle with a radius of 12 times the diameter (measured 1.5 m above ground for a single-stemmed tree), capped at 707 m² — and the arboriculturist can adjust its shape where rooting is likely to be uneven.
What do the A, B, C and U tree categories mean?
BS5837 places every surveyed tree in a category. A, B and C mean high, moderate and low quality and value, and guide which trees the design should try to retain. U means a tree in such a condition that it can't realistically be kept as a living tree for more than about ten years. The categories inform the layout — they don't decide on their own which trees are removed.
How much does a BS5837 tree survey cost?
It depends on the number of trees, the size of the site and which documents your application needs — a survey and Tree Constraints Plan at the design stage, or the full set including the Arboricultural Impact Assessment, Method Statement and Tree Protection Plan. Every site is different, so you get a clear fixed quote up front, with no obligation.
How long does a BS5837 survey and report take?
It depends on the size of the site and the time of year. I'll agree a realistic timescale with you when you book and work to your planning deadlines wherever possible. Quotes usually come back within one working day.
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Learn moreNeed a tree survey or report?
Tell me about your site, project or equipment and I'll come back with a free, no-obligation quote — usually within one working day.