Trees and planning applications
We take trees into consideration for all planning applications.
If you’re making a planning application, you must explain how you have taken existing trees into consideration and how any new trees will be incorporated.
The Arboricultural Association and the Institute of Chartered Foresters have list of companies who can help you gather the information you need to support your planning application.
We also offer a pre-application advice service if you are unsure whether you will need to provide detailed tree reports for your proposed development. Unfortunately this service is temporarily suspended due to staffing levels.
We use a number of plans, policies and guidelines to assess how a development will affect trees, including the following.
National Planning Policy Framework 2018
- Chapter 15 – Conserving and enhancing the natural environment
South Oxfordshire Local Plan 2035
- ENV1- Landscape and Countryside
- ENV2-Biodiversity- Designated Sites, Priority Habitats and Species
- ENV3- Biodiversity
- ENV5- Green Infrastructure in New Developments
- ENV8- Conservation Areas
- ENV10- Historic Battlefields, Registered Parks and Gardens and Historic Landscapes
Other useful guidance information can be found in the following links:
- South Oxfordshire Design Guide and supporting technical document Trees and Landscaping
- BS 5837:2012 Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction. Recommendations
- BS 8545:2014 Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape – recommendations
- BS 3998:2010 Tree work. Recommendations
- The Trees and Design Action Group
- The Landscape Institute
Contact us - Trees, countryside sites, ecology and landscape
01235 422600
(Text phone users add 18001 before dialing)
South Oxfordshire District Council
Abbey House
Abbey Close
Abingdon
OX14 3JE
