Tree surveys in Cambridge
If you're building near trees in Cambridge, Cambridge City Council, through Greater Cambridge Shared Planning 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 Cambridge.
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 Cambridge
- Planning decisions
- Planning applications in Cambridge are decided by Cambridge City Council, through Greater Cambridge Shared Planning. The full planning checklist asks, as a minimum, for a tree survey wherever trees are on or next to the site.
- Tree preservation orders
- Check Greater Cambridge Shared Planning's map by choosing planning search by map, then tree preservation orders.
- 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
- A draft policy in the emerging Greater Cambridge Local Plan would require major developments to reach at least 30% future canopy cover on site.
Tree survey types and costs
For a planning application in Cambridge, 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 Cambridge
We pass each Cambridge 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 Milton Keynes, London and Norwich.
In Cambridge we can also introduce you to specialists for Japanese knotweed treatment, bat surveys, ecological surveys, tree surgery and landscaping, all listed on our Cambridge page.
Tree survey questions in Cambridge
Do I need a tree survey for a planning application in Cambridge?
Usually, if there are trees on or near the site. The full planning checklist asks, as a minimum, for a tree survey wherever trees are on or next to the site.
How do I find out if a tree has a TPO in Cambridge?
Check Greater Cambridge Shared Planning's map by choosing planning search by map, then tree preservation orders.
Can I cut down a tree in my garden in Cambridge?
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 Cambridge?
Possibly. Trees with cavities, cracks or loose bark can hold roosting bats, so felling or heavy pruning may need a bat survey in Cambridge, and larger sites often need an ecological survey in Cambridge as well.
Get a tree survey quote in Cambridge
Tell us about the site and the trees. Beatrice reads every enquiry.