BS 5837 Arboricultural Impact Assessment

Do you need a BS 5837 Arboricultural Impact Assessment (AIA) to secure planning permission for development at your property or on behalf of a client? Arbor Cultural has over 20 years’ in-depth experience and will be pleased to manage the entire process on your behalf. Our work covers the south east of England, including Surrey, Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and London.
BS5837 Tree Reports

What is a BS 5837 Arboricultural Impact Assessment?

A BS 5837 Arboricultural Impact Assessment (AIA) is a comprehensive written assessment that carefully evaluates two main factors in balance:

  • The likely effect of planned development on the existing trees at a site, and

  • Equally, how the trees may impact the proposed development.

In other words, it identifies any potential conflict between the retained trees and the project plans, ensuring both elements are thoroughly considered and appropriately addressed.

An AIA also takes into account crucial aspects such as tree preservation orders, which are vital for the protection of valuable trees. We will not only identify the long-term value and benefits of trees within the built environment, but also work towards securing their health, safety, and sustainability wherever possible.


An AIA is a critical stage in the overall planning process chain: generally, a BS 5837 Tree Survey and BS Tree Report will be used to produce a BS Tree Constraints Plan. (This may require a topographical site survey.)

Then, these three documents will inform the BS 5837 Arboricultural Impact Assessment. Moving forward, the AIA will inform the BS 5837 Tree Protection Plan, and the BS 5837 Aboricultural Method Statement.

Technical Knowledge
Our Impact Assessments benefit from our complete understanding of relevant contemporary technology. Arbor Cultural uncovers GPS data, which we convert to Geographical Information Systems, using Keytree and AutoCAD to display any constraints we find. Generally,
but not always – we can also work around already designed site layouts – Arbor Cultural’s work clarifies and supports the design team process. This means that there will be as little impact on the trees as possible during construction.  

BS 5837 Arboricultural Impact Assessment

Whats Included?

We will consider the following in a Tree Constraints Plan.
The three main constraints are:

  1. Root Protection Areas (RPAs) 12 X the stem diameter at 1.5 m
  2. Tree Crown Spread (to the four cardinal points)
  3. Tree Shading 3 o’clock to 10 o’clock to represent daylight hours

.Others may involve:

  • Tree condition
  • Tree species characteristics
  • Soil and ground conditions
  • Site levels/topography
  • Aspect and slope
  • Hard surface incursions into the Root Protection Area
  • Site access
  • Tree works for health and safety

We’re future-proofing, with the expertise to identify tree shape, size and condition constraints in the here and now and what may happen in the years to come – allowing for tree growth to enable them to grow to their magnificent best.

Contact Arbor Cultural to find out more. 

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