Tree surveys in Bristol
If you're building near trees in Bristol, Bristol City Council will usually want a BS 5837 tree survey with the planning application. If you're worried about a tree's safety, or a lender or insurer has asked about one, you need a condition survey instead. We can introduce you to one vetted arboricultural consultant who covers your site in Bristol.
Beatrice Vasey is a horticulturist, not an arboricultural consultancy. We introduce you to one vetted arboricultural consultant and are paid a referral fee by that business.
Protected trees and planning in Bristol
- Planning decisions
- Planning applications in Bristol are decided by Bristol City Council. Bristol City Council's local list of requirements asks for an arboricultural report to BS 5837:2012 wherever there are trees on the site or on neighbouring land, including neighbours' gardens and street trees.
- Tree preservation orders
- Search your address on Bristol City Council's Pinpoint map and turn on the Tree Preservation Order layers; conservation areas are under Historic information.
- Conservation areas
- In a conservation area, give the council 6 weeks' written notice before working on a tree with a trunk over 75 mm across at 1.5 m. If the council doesn't respond or make an order, the work can go ahead within 2 years.
- Felling licences
- Felling more than 5 m³ of timber in a calendar quarter usually needs a felling licence, but trees in private gardens are exempt. Licences are issued by the Forestry Commission.
- Local note
- Bristol City Council charges no fee for a tree works application and aims to decide within eight weeks.
Tree survey types and costs
For a planning application in Bristol, start with the BS 5837 survey and commission it before the layout is fixed, so the design can work around the trees worth keeping.
| Survey | When you need it | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| BS 5837 tree survey | Before the layout is designed | About £300 to £760 for a small domestic site |
| Arboricultural impact assessment (AIA) | With the planning application, once the layout is drawn | About £500 to £1,000 together with the survey |
| Arboricultural method statement and tree protection plan | With the application, or to discharge a planning condition | About £250 to £500 for a small extension |
| Tree condition or safety survey | Any time | About £150 to £350 for a basic inspection; £350 to £900 for a detailed report on several trees |
| Mortgage or insurance tree report | When a lender or insurer asks for one | From about £300 plus VAT |
Typical prices from published cost guides. Your consultant quotes for your site.
Your arboricultural consultant in Bristol
We pass each Bristol enquiry to one vetted arboricultural consultant who covers your site. You get an email naming them before your details are shared, and they quote you directly. We are paid a referral fee by that business, as set out in how our partner network works.
We also arrange tree surveys in Bath, Cardiff and Oxford.
In Bristol we can also introduce you to specialists for Japanese knotweed treatment, bat surveys, ecological surveys, tree surgery and landscaping, all listed on our Bristol page.
Tree survey questions in Bristol
Do I need a tree survey for a planning application in Bristol?
Usually, if there are trees on or near the site. Bristol City Council's local list of requirements asks for an arboricultural report to BS 5837:2012 wherever there are trees on the site or on neighbouring land, including neighbours' gardens and street trees.
How do I find out if a tree has a TPO in Bristol?
Search your address on Bristol City Council's Pinpoint map and turn on the Tree Preservation Order layers; conservation areas are under Historic information.
Can I cut down a tree in my garden in Bristol?
Only if it isn't protected. Cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting or wilfully damaging a protected tree, including its roots, needs the council's consent. Removing a dead tree needs 5 working days' written notice first. Breaking the rules can mean an unlimited fine and a duty to plant a replacement. In a conservation area, give the council 6 weeks' written notice before working on a tree with a trunk over 75 mm across at 1.5 m. If the council doesn't respond or make an order, the work can go ahead within 2 years.
Will I need other surveys for planning in Bristol?
Possibly. Trees with cavities, cracks or loose bark can hold roosting bats, so felling or heavy pruning may need a bat survey in Bristol, and larger sites often need an ecological survey in Bristol as well.
Get a tree survey quote in Bristol
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