Method statement - what's expected ?

[Sullo]

HI

 

I have received planning permission for a rear extension to my house, with a constraint attached that I must provide the council with a Method Statement conforming to BS5837, prior to starting construction work.

 

Some background; I had full planning permission without any conditions initially. It was not until I applied for planning permission for a single story extension, in addition to the original application, that it upset my neighbour at which stage the Conifers, which act as hedge between myself and neighbour, became important in terms of maintaining a screen between the two properties. The inclusion of the method statement condition was added to the second planning consent. Planners approved my plans with 1meter depth normal type foundations and also the plans have been approved by building control.

 

There is a large Oak Tree in the garden (guess diameter 1 meter) with a TPO. The Oak tree lies 5 meters from a retaining wall, garden is raised by 1.25 to 1.5meters above patio level. The other side of retaining wall is a slabbed patio (4 meters wide and is leads up to rear wall of my house). I have permission to build my extension on this patio and also to the grassed area to right of this patio, which brings the side wall to within 2meters (at tightest point) to the row of Conifers in my garden.

 

Questions;

1. Do I have to have carried out a Tree survey, CAD drawing of garden etc, AIA in order to have a Method Statement done? This seems like overkill for a domestic extension. Does the BS 5837 makes allowances for small extensions of this nature. It seems like a process for a large development is being inappropriately applied to a small house extension?

2. Given the existence of patio and retaining wall (for the last 40years or so) and fact the base of Oak tree lies approx 1.25 meters above patio level and the Tree Officers statement that he had no objection given proximity to the Oak tree, would you agree that Tree officer/council view the likely damage to Tree roots to be minimal as roots unlikely to exist under patio and have no expectation for an engineered foundation ? Does BS5837 allow for Arborculturlist to apply reasonable logic ?

3. Given the size of the Oak Tree, I believe that under the BS the RPA would capture the part of the extension that I intend to build on the grassed area to the right of my patio. This would be at 8 or 9 meters from Oak tree. Inclusion of building extension into Rpa would be max 6 to 8 sqM by my estimates. Is this material, it seems unreasonable to have to build piles at this part of the building extension, which is only a conservatory, in order protect a small fraction of the root system and what what is likely to be fibrous roots.

4. The conifers are of low quality, multi stemmed type, planted in last 10yrs only so I don’t think TPO applies to them. My plans are to build within 2 meters of the trees, what is likely rpa for a conifers ? Stem is approx 20cms max diameter. I don’t intend getting rid of any trees.

 

 

Appreciate your advice.

[daltontrees]

For what it's worth the BS says an 'arboriculturalist' (i.e. the category of person in the BS who would be considered competent to provide the formal tree documents to support a development proposal) is a person who 'has, through relevant education, training and experience, gained expertise in the field of trees in relation to construction'.

I imagine the Council would not contest the reasonable views of an arboriculturalist who has written and signed the report including a resume of his/her expertise.

I have always assumed (but I may be wrong) an arborist to be a tree worker, operating in the contracting operational rather than advisory professional field. One cold be both arboriculturalist and arborist but measured against the BS definition most people in the business are likely to be one or the other.

[WorcsWuss]

Here's one.... http://forms.southkesteven.gov.uk/Planning%20Assets/S11-2072/Additional%20Documents/tree%20method%20statement.pdf

 

Seemingly done by an architect, not even an arborist.

Flick through to the method statement, that is all you need.

Personally if I had one conditioned as part of an application I'd do it myself, i wouldn't even bother referencing the bs or workings out, that's all just padding to justify his fee to his client I suspect....

[likeitorlumpit]

Here's one.... http://forms.southkesteven.gov.uk/Planning%20Assets/S11-2072/Additional%20Documents/tree%20method%20statement.pdf

 

Seemingly done by an architect, not even an arborist.

Flick through to the method statement, that is all you need.

Personally if I had one conditioned as part of an application I'd do it myself, i wouldn't even bother referencing the bs or workings out, that's all just padding to justify his fee to his client I suspect....

 

As I believe.

A lot of requirements on the surface appear daunting but it's just office speak. You need a practical head and then just write stuff down. If they don't agree, you'll just have to do it again. Padding quote is bang on:thumbup1:

[Paul Jenks]

Here's one.... http://forms.southkesteven.gov.uk/Planning%20Assets/S11-2072/Additional%20Documents/tree%20method%20statement.pdf

 

Seemingly done by an architect, not even an arborist.

Flick through to the method statement, that is all you need.

Personally if I had one conditioned as part of an application I'd do it myself, i wouldn't even bother referencing the bs or workings out, that's all just padding to justify his fee to his client I suspect....

 

Sometimes this is the case, though often an architect will have some input from an arboriculturalist or arborist.

There will have to be reference to the BS as these are are the specifications to which the report refers. This is especially so when specifying the fencing and ground protection.

The document needs to be written so that all stakeholders can understand it, how to apply it and what they are not to do with regard to the trees.

[WorcsWuss]

Sometimes this is the case, though often an architect will have some input from an arboriculturalist or arborist.

There will have to be reference to the BS as these are are the specifications to which the report refers. This is especially so when specifying the fencing and ground protection.

The document needs to be written so that all stakeholders can understand it, how to apply it and what they are not to do with regard to the trees.

 

I think in this instance this is all that's needed Paul, I'd take a punt at it first anyway. OP says they only ask for a method statement, not a full tree report. There's enough info in that link to crib to write one for this job.

I don't mind rustling one up for him if it helps, only 15 minutes work, if that...

[Amelanchier]

Personally if I had one conditioned as part of an application I'd do it myself, i wouldn't even bother referencing the bs or workings out, that's all just padding to justify his fee to his client I suspect....

 

Padding quote is bang on:thumbup1:

 

As someone who writes these documents as their job, has overseen their implementation from all four sides of the fence (client, contractor, arboriculturalist and TO) and spent hours reading / moderating threads complaining about DIY treework I find this amusing and frustrating in equal measure.

 

A consultants service has just as much value as a contractors. Why the automatic assuption that a consultants fee is a rip off? Because it's just words and that's easy? A gross oversimplification.

 

There's always someone cheaper, I'd expect contractors to be all to familiar with that. So from a different perspective you could just as easily argue that all this moaning about insurance costs, PPE and training is just padding out a contractors quote...

 

There will also always be people who want (and are perfectly able) to do the work themselves whether that is achieved with a pen or a saw - good luck to them.

[RobArb]

As someone who writes these documents as their job, has overseen their implementation from all four sides of the fence (client, contractor, arboriculturalist and TO) and spent hours reading / moderating threads complaining about DIY treework I find this amusing and frustrating in equal measure.

 

A consultants service has just as much value as a contractors. Why the automatic assuption that a consultants fee is a rip off? Because it's just words and that's easy? A gross oversimplification.

 

There's always someone cheaper, I'd expect contractors to be all to familiar with that. So from a different perspective you could just as easily argue that all this moaning about insurance costs, PPE and training is just padding out a contractors quote...

 

There will also always be people who want (and are perfectly able) to do the work themselves whether that is achieved with a pen or a saw - good luck to them.

 

[WorcsWuss]

As someone who writes these documents as their job, has overseen their implementation from all four sides of the fence (client, contractor, arboriculturalist and TO) and spent hours reading / moderating threads complaining about DIY treework I find this amusing and frustrating in equal measure.

 

A consultants service has just as much value as a contractors. Why the automatic assuption that a consultants fee is a rip off? Because it's just words and that's easy? A gross oversimplification.

 

There's always someone cheaper, I'd expect contractors to be all to familiar with that. So from a different perspective you could just as easily argue that all this moaning about insurance costs, PPE and training is just padding out a contractors quote...

 

There will also always be people who want (and are perfectly able) to do the work themselves whether that is achieved with a pen or a saw - good luck to them.

 

I agree Tony, but the report I posted a link to was on the planning portal as an approved document written by an architect with no reference to a qualified arboriculturalist. On the face of it he's as qualified as I to write a method statement for protecting a tree during building works. It's not a tree report, it's a method statement and that is simply a list of things you're going to do, not an assessment of the condition of a tree. What makes an arboriculturalist qualified to specify building works? They can surely only advise on impact of said works on a tree?

[WorcsWuss]

I'm not digging at consultants by the way, as it's a role I often perform myself....

[Sullo]

I decided to follow advice and call Council to ask exactly what they want in relation to Method Statement.

 

The Tree officer wants it to be carried out by professional, so diy approach won't do unfortunately.

 

I can't help but feel that by inserting this condition in the planning consent, its a convenient way for Planning officer not to have to bother considering what specific requirements they desire to protect trees such as fences etc. Its more convenient for them to demand this report (which is unexpected expense and large for an individual) thereby protecting themselves at the cost of the homeowner who then has to commision a report, which ultimately may only tell them....u need a fence !!!