Planning concent advice

[wrekin tree care]

Hi All i have just set up my business and got a call to look at a job at a hotel. when i got there there was a large bhorse chesnut they anted work on. As it is in a conservation area the had put in a planning app. and today i recieved this email. my question is as im neww to all this would i then phone the council tree officer and ask what he would like done as there is no written only verbal consent. i didnt even look at the lime. i know this is proberly day to day stuff but thsi would only be my second job. many thanks

 

 

 

 

 

Works should be scheduled to undertake Lime operations first and then the Horse Chestnut tree. It would be considered beneficial to clean all saws and implements used to minimise the possibility of cross contamination.

 

Recommendations at a pre-application site visit include a number of limbs within this tree would benefit reduction to existing growth points, affectively reducing the overall canopy by removing these ‘out growths’. Other recommendations for this tree include undertaking a crown clean, carry out a thorough climbing inspection to assess canopy health and detect any further wind damage that may exist within the canopy.

 

Lime- This tree was observed as showing symptoms synonymous with Phytophthora sp. on the main stem at 3 to 4m on the south western face. Given the existing deadwood within the canopy, the newly constructed ‘wedding pagoda’ directly beneath it is felt necessary to undertake these works with a view to safety and also to try and contain the disease without introduction to the adjacent Horse Chestnut. All tools are to be sterilised prior to works being undertaken to the Horse Chestnut.

 

If you consult the application you will see that we applied to:-

 

1 Horse Chestnut a) Crown Clean

b) Limb reduction due to excessive “end weighting”

c) Carry out a climbing inspection to look for lateral fractures

 

2 Lime Tree Pollarding in an attempt to retain it and prevent the spread of the disease (symptoms synonymous with Phytophthora sp)

 

Although it states on the observation that the Horse Chestnut tree lost a limb during high winds, it did not, it just fell off one day! When I spoke to the tree officer he said he thought the Horse Chestnut should be reduced by approximately one third in size.

 

Please would you quote for doing this work.

[detritus21]

Speak to the tree officer. You would also want to see the proof of what has been approved by the council.

[MATTMOSS]

Hi, I must admit I found you post a bit confusing, but if I understand correctly the hotel have asked you to look at a job, you have been sent an email from the hotel giving you the work spec that they want you to give them an estimate for, so there is no harm giving them a price BUT before you do any work you need to know that it HAS been authorised by the Council. I find the best way to do this is by doing the paperwork (application) myself then I know for sure. The hotel could do this but make sure you see the consent letter before you start work. As you say it is in a conservation area, there is a possibility that they will not be a works consent letter because on receiving an application to carry out works in a CA the Council have a limited time to respond (i think its six weeks) and if you have not heard anything by this time you could do the work. However you are thinking along the right lines, if you are in any doubt a good treeman would ring the local Arb officer and check.

The work spec that they have given you does sound very professional so that indicates that someone who knows what they are talking about has spoken to them about this work.

Hope this is helpful.

[Hodge]

They tell you in the email what is needed, if you don't know what this involves then maybe you shouldn't be quoting on it.

[MATTMOSS]

They tell you in the email what is needed, if you don't know what this involves then maybe you shouldn't be quoting on it.

 

I didn't want to say that because everybody has to start somewhere, but it is a fair comment.

[Hodge]

I didn't want to say that because everybody has to start somewhere, but it is a fair comment.

 

I wasn't being nasty just realistic, when you are dealing with tree officers you need to be spot on. I know everyone needs to start some where but maybe this isn't the job or get someone with more experience to help out??

[skyhuck]

If they are within the CA, but TPO'd, you need to do a notification not an application.

[skyhuck]

I wasn't being nasty just realistic, when you are dealing with tree officers you need to be spot on. I know everyone needs to start some where but maybe this isn't the job or get someone with more experience to help out??

 

Not always, depends on the TO, some are more than happy to help the less experienced.

 

Technically a home owner could carry out their own tree work on a TPO'd tree, so a TO should be able to deal with people of vastly differing experience.

[MATTMOSS]

I wasn't being nasty just realistic, when you are dealing with tree officers you need to be spot on. I know everyone needs to start some where but maybe this isn't the job or get someone with more experience to help out??

 

Agreed

[RobArb]

If they are within the CA, but TPO'd, you need to do a notification not an application.

 

Yes an S211 notification, i think