Soil compaction
Repeated vehicles, tracked plant, material storage and temporary compounds can compress soil around roots, reducing pore space and changing the conditions available for air and water movement.
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Tree Protection Plan (TPP).
BS5837 · Planning Conditions · Construction Stage
Tree Protection Plan (TPP).
For Planning & Construction.
Need a Tree Protection Plan for a planning condition or construction near retained trees? Send the condition, layout and tree information you already have and we’ll confirm the right scope.
- Root Protection Areas, fencing and exclusion zones shown clearly
- Ground protection and construction constraints where required
- Independent consultant review with a fixed-fee proposal
FREE · NO OBLIGATION
Get your Tree Protection Plan quote
Tell us where the site is. A consultant will review the planning condition, drawings and available tree information and email a fixed-fee proposal for the appropriate Tree Protection Plan scope.
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Our team will review your project and reply to . If we need more information to prepare your quote, we’ll get in touch.
This is a request for a quote; your instruction is confirmed once the scope and fee are agreed.
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email your condition and drawings
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Tree Protection Plan — Quick Answer
What is a Tree Protection Plan?
A Tree Protection Plan (TPP) is a scaled drawing that shows how retained trees will be protected during demolition and construction. It turns the approved arboricultural strategy into practical site information — showing where protection goes, what areas need to remain controlled and where specialist construction methods may be required.
When it is needed
When is a Tree Protection Plan required?
A TPP is most useful once the tree-retention strategy and development layout are sufficiently clear to show how protection will work on the real site.
01
Planning application support
The Local Planning Authority may want to see how retained trees can be protected as part of the proposed development.
02
Pre-commencement planning condition
The decision notice may require a TPP, protection details or related arboricultural information before works begin.
03
Construction close to retained trees
Where access, demolition, excavation, storage or temporary works interact with trees, the protection layout needs to be practical.
04
Contractor handover
A clear drawing helps the site team understand where normal construction activity must stop and where controlled methods apply.
The drawing
What does a Tree Protection Plan show?
The exact drawing depends on the project and approved strategy. A useful TPP should be easy for the planning team and contractor to interpret without guessing what each protection line means.
Retained and removed trees
Using consistent tree references so the protection drawing aligns with the survey and impact assessment.
Root Protection Areas (RPAs)
The relevant rooting constraints shown against the development and construction layout.
Protective fencing & exclusion zones
Where barriers or controlled zones are required to keep normal site activity away from sensitive areas.
Temporary ground protection
Where agreed access across sensitive ground needs a project-specific protection solution.
Access, storage & working constraints
Relevant construction arrangements can be shown where they affect how retained trees are protected.
Specialist-method areas
Locations where an Arboricultural Method Statement or supervised operation may be required.
Why the drawing matters
What can damage retained trees during construction?
The obvious risk is impact to a trunk or branch. The less visible risks can be below ground: compaction, excavation, level changes, service trenches and repeated vehicle movements can affect the soil environment and roots that retained trees depend on. A useful TPP makes those risks visible before they become ordinary site activity.
The practical test
If the site manager cannot tell where machinery, storage, access and excavation are restricted,
the tree-protection strategy has not been communicated clearly enough.
Root severance
Foundations, drainage, utility trenches, kerbs and level changes can cut or damage roots where work enters a sensitive rooting area without an agreed method.
Mechanical damage
Excavators, delivery vehicles, scaffolding and lifting operations can damage stems or crowns even when the actual building footprint sits outside the Root Protection Area.
Changes to levels
Raising or lowering soil levels near retained trees can change the rooting environment. The implications depend on the tree, extent, soil and proposed construction detail.
Storage & site logistics
A technically correct fence line can still fail if there is nowhere practical for deliveries, skips, welfare units, spoil or materials. The TPP should work with the construction layout.
Late design changes
Drainage, access, retaining walls, service routes or revised building footprints can alter the arboricultural relationship after a TPP was prepared. Revision control matters.
Important: a TPP is not a substitute for project-specific engineering or an Arboricultural Method Statement.
Where sensitive work is proposed within or close to protected areas, the plan should cross-reference the relevant methodology
rather than trying to explain every construction operation inside one drawing.
What a detailed TPP can communicate
The plan should explain the site, not just the trees.
The content should be proportionate to the project. A small house extension may need a relatively simple protection drawing; a constrained redevelopment may need a more detailed coordination plan showing different construction phases, temporary protection and specialist operations.
Retained & removed trees
The same tree references should carry through from the BS5837 survey and AIA so the project team can follow the evidence from assessment to implementation.
Where removals have been agreed, they should be distinguishable from retained trees so the contractor does not have to interpret the drawing from memory.
Root Protection Areas
The relevant RPAs should be shown against the latest site layout so the team can see where proposed buildings, access, surfacing, drainage or temporary works interact with rooting constraints.
A circular theoretical RPA is not always the end of the analysis; any project-specific adjustment or specialist response needs to be justified elsewhere in the arboricultural information.
Construction Exclusion Zones
The TPP can identify areas that should remain protected from routine construction operations. These are often defined by barriers, existing boundaries or another clearly controlled edge.
The purpose is simple: the site team should be able to see where plant, excavation, storage and general access are not intended to occur.
Protective fencing
The drawing should show the alignment of the protective barrier and, where required, refer to the agreed specification. The barrier needs to remain effective for the intensity and duration of the site activity.
Where the approved layout requires a fence line inside the theoretical RPA, the reason and any compensatory protection should be addressed rather than left unexplained.
Temporary ground protection
Where access across sensitive ground cannot reasonably be avoided, the project may need temporary load-spreading protection. The appropriate system depends on expected traffic, loading and the site conditions.
A TPP can show the area spatially while an AMS, engineering detail or specification explains how the protection is constructed and used.
Demolition & site clearance
Tree protection is relevant before the new building starts. Demolition, strip-out, hard-surface removal, clearance and enabling works can all expose retained trees to risk.
Where an existing hard surface is intentionally retained as temporary protection, that relationship should be clear in the construction-stage information.
Access, deliveries & compounds
Vehicle routes, turning areas, loading points, skips, welfare units and material storage can influence whether a protection strategy is workable. The TPP should be coordinated with the actual way the site will operate.
Services & drainage
Underground service trenches can create significant root conflicts even when the building itself is well positioned. Where routes pass near retained trees, the arboricultural implications should be considered before installation.
Scaffolding & working space
Scaffold bases, working platforms and contractor access can extend beyond the footprint of the building. On constrained sites, the protection strategy may need to account for how scaffold is installed and used near retained trees.
Special construction methods
No-dig surfacing, pile-and-beam solutions, controlled excavation and other specialist approaches may be appropriate on some projects. The TPP should identify where the special method applies; the detailed method belongs in the relevant specification, engineering design or AMS.
Supervision points
Where a planning condition or methodology requires arboricultural attendance, the TPP can identify sensitive areas or operations that should be linked to a supervision schedule.
Drawing control
A professional plan should be tied to a drawing revision, scale and project base so the contractor knows which version is current. Arbor Cultural’s existing TPP practice uses CAD-based project information and scaled drawing output.
Physical protection
Tree protection fencing and ground protection.
These measures do different jobs. Fencing controls access into protected areas. Ground protection is used where access over sensitive ground is unavoidable and has been agreed as part of the project strategy.
Timing matters
Public planning guidance commonly expects protective measures to be installed before demolition,
site clearance or construction begins and to remain effective for the required construction period.
| Measure | Main purpose | What the TPP should make clear | What may need separate detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protective fencingPhysical barrier | Keep routine plant, vehicles, storage and contractors out of protected areas. | Alignment, protected side of the barrier, relationship to retained trees and any phase changes. | Barrier specification, installation detail and any exceptional relocation procedure. |
| Construction Exclusion ZoneControlled area | Define where normal construction activity is restricted. | Clear boundary and relationship to fencing / retained trees. | Site rules and any authorised operations inside the zone. |
| Temporary ground protectionLoad spreading | Reduce compaction and surface disturbance where agreed access cannot be avoided. | Extent of the protected route or working area. | System specification appropriate to loading, duration and ground conditions. |
| Existing hard surface retainedTemporary working protection | Where appropriate, retain an existing surface while it protects the underlying ground during earlier phases. | Area to remain in place and when removal is permitted. | Method for later removal if sensitive excavation is required. |
A generic note saying “protect trees” is not the same as a usable plan. The site team needs to know
where the protection goes, when it is installed and which operations
require a different method or supervision.
Root Protection Areas
How does the RPA relate to the TPP?
The Root Protection Area is a planning and design constraint derived from the tree information. The TPP then shows how the retained rooting environment is protected against the actual development and construction layout.
01
Survey first
The BS5837 survey establishes the tree reference, dimensions and information used to calculate the theoretical RPA.
02
Test it against the proposal
The AIA considers where the development conflicts with retained trees and whether the proposal can be supported with mitigation.
03
Translate it into protection
The TPP shows the physical controls and protected areas that the construction team needs to respect.
04
Use a method where protection alone is not enough
If approved works enter sensitive areas, the AMS or engineering detail should explain the controlled method rather than relying on the plan alone.
Survey, TCP, AIA, TPP or AMS?
Different BS5837 documents answer different questions.
Competent planning work is easier when each document has a clear job. Combining every stage into one generic report can make it harder for architects, planners and contractors to see which information controls the site.
| Document | Primary question | Typical project stage | Main output |
|---|---|---|---|
| BS5837 Tree SurveyView survey service → | What trees are present and what is their arboricultural quality / size / condition? | Early design / planning evidence | Survey schedule and baseline tree information. |
| Tree Constraints Plan (TCP)View TCP service → | Where are the important tree constraints that should influence design? | Design development | Mapped crowns, RPAs and spatial constraints. |
| Arboricultural Impact Assessment (AIA)View AIA service → | What impact will the proposed development have on trees, and how can that impact be mitigated? | Planning application / design assessment | Impact analysis, removals / retention and mitigation rationale. |
| Tree Protection Plan (TPP)This page | Where do the agreed tree-protection measures apply on the construction site? | Planning condition / pre-construction / construction | Scaled protection drawing. |
| Arboricultural Method Statement (AMS)View AMS service → | How will sensitive demolition or construction operations be carried out? | Condition discharge / construction stage | Written project-specific methodology. |
| Arboricultural SupervisionView supervision service → | Which operations need arboricultural attendance or compliance records? | Live construction site | Site attendance, records and project-specific monitoring. |
Implementation
How is a Tree Protection Plan used on site?
The exact sequence is project-specific, but a TPP works best when it is integrated into the programme before potentially damaging operations begin rather than introduced after the site is already active.
Construction-stage principle
Protection needs to be part of site setup and sequencing. A drawing issued after access,
clearance or excavation has already affected the rooting area is too late to prevent that impact.
Confirm the approved information
Check the current planning decision, condition wording, approved layout and arboricultural documents.
Complete authorised tree work
Where tree removal or pruning has been approved and is needed for site setup, the sequence should be coordinated with ecological and statutory constraints.
Install fencing and agreed ground protection
The tree-protection layout should be established before routine demolition, deliveries, excavation or site traffic enters sensitive areas.
Pre-commencement check where required
Some planning conditions or method statements require the protection measures to be checked, photographed or signed off before the next phase begins.
Carry out demolition and construction
Routine works stay outside protected areas. Sensitive operations follow the agreed AMS, engineering detail or supervision requirements.
Maintain protection
Fencing, signs and ground protection need to remain effective. Damage, unauthorised movement or site-layout changes should be addressed promptly.
Remove protection at the correct stage
Protection should not be removed simply because the main structure is complete. Landscaping, external works and final service installation can still affect retained trees.
Who uses the drawing?
Planning
Design
Construction
Compliance
A TPP has to work for more than the tree officer.
Planning approval matters, but the real test comes when different people use the same drawing during a live project.
Local Planning Authority
Needs enough information to understand how retained trees are intended to be protected and how any condition requirements are addressed.
Architect / planning consultant
Needs the protection strategy coordinated with the latest layout, revisions and other planning documents.
Site manager / contractor
Needs a clear drawing that shows the protected areas, access limits and where another method or approval is required.
Project arboriculturist
Needs consistent tree references, protection measures and revision control so site checks relate to the approved information.
Typical project situations
Scenario 01
Scenario 02
Scenario 03
The protection strategy changes with the type of site.
These are illustrative scenarios, not fixed templates. The purpose is to show why a proportionate, site-specific TPP is more useful than applying the same protection note to every development.
Domestic extension beside a mature boundary tree
The building may be modest, but access, scaffold, spoil and foundation works can still interact with the tree. The TPP may be simple but should make the construction boundary and any sensitive area unmistakable.
- Retained tree + RPA against proposed extension
- Fence / ground-protection alignment
- Scaffold or working-space coordination
Residential redevelopment with multiple retained trees
A larger site may need different protection zones, access routes and phases. The plan should coordinate tree protection with compounds, parking, services, drainage and material handling.
- Multiple tree references and retained groups
- Construction logistics and phased protection
- AMS / supervision links for sensitive areas
Planning-condition discharge before works start
The council may already have approved the principle of development but require detailed protection information before commencement. The exact condition wording should drive the submission.
- Check trigger wording and approved drawings
- Coordinate TPP with existing AIA / survey
- Submit the specific information requested
Boundary & protected trees
What about neighbouring trees, TPOs and Conservation Areas?
Tree protection planning is based on influence, not just ownership. A tree outside the red-line boundary can still affect the design or construction if its crown or rooting area extends toward the site.
01
Off-site trees can still matter
The relevant survey and TPP scope may need to include neighbouring trees where their crowns or rooting constraints influence the proposed works.
02
A TPP does not grant permission for tree work
If tree pruning or removal is separately controlled by a Tree Preservation Order, Conservation Area process or another legal restriction, that consent route still needs to be addressed.
03
Boundary access may need coordination
Installing fencing or carrying out approved work close to a boundary can create access and ownership questions that sit outside the drawing itself.
04
Design changes should be rechecked
A revised garage, service route, driveway or retaining wall can create a new tree relationship even when the original planning layout had been acceptable.
Common problems
What makes a Tree Protection Plan hard to use?
Planning delays and site confusion are often caused by coordination problems rather than a lack of technical terminology.
01
Using an old architectural layout
The TPP is only useful if it relates to the current approved / proposed drawing revision.
02
Showing RPAs without a construction strategy
Constraints alone do not tell the contractor where fencing, access controls or temporary protection actually go.
03
Ignoring demolition and enabling works
Trees can be damaged before the main build starts, so the sequence needs to include earlier site operations where relevant.
04
Forgetting drainage and services
A well-positioned building can still create root conflicts through trenching, service connections or external works.
05
Making the protection impossible to build
A fence line that blocks essential access without an alternative strategy is unlikely to survive contact with the real construction site.
06
No revision control
Contractors need to know which drawing is current, especially where the project has passed through multiple planning and construction revisions.
Before requesting a quote
Most useful
Design
Tree evidence
Base information
Site context
Programme
What should I send for a Tree Protection Plan quote?
Start with what you already have. You do not need to create a perfect arboricultural brief before contacting us. The most useful information is usually the material that shows the planning requirement and the current design.
Planning decision / condition wording
Paste the exact condition or validation request if one has been issued.
Latest proposed layout
PDF drawings are useful; CAD files can be discussed where appropriate to the drawing workflow.
Existing survey / AIA / TCP
Send the latest arboricultural information so we can see what work has already been completed.
Topographical / measured survey
If one exists, send it. Accurate base information can be important for a coordinated scaled drawing.
Photos or contractor questions
Useful where access, storage, scaffold, existing surfacing or other construction constraints need explaining.
Planning or start-date deadline
Tell us about genuine condition-discharge or construction deadlines when requesting the quote.
Consultant review
Technical content can be reviewed against the real project, not a template.
Arbor Cultural is led by Tom Thompson, founder and Managing Director, whose public company profile records a BSc in Arboriculture, a Master’s degree in Forestry and previous local-authority tree-officer experience.
Planning context: the TPP is checked against the project stage and the documents already approved or submitted.
Construction context: protection is considered alongside the way the site actually needs to operate.
Document coordination: survey, AIA, TPP, AMS and supervision should use consistent tree references and revisions.
BS5837 document pathway
The TPP sits inside a wider planning sequence.
Not every project needs every document. The correct sequence depends on the planning stage, the condition wording and the information already available.
Stage 01
Tree Survey
Records the relevant trees and baseline arboricultural information.
Stage 02
AIA
Assesses the effects of the proposed design on trees and the mitigation strategy.
Stage 03
Tree Protection Plan
Shows where the agreed protection measures and construction constraints apply.
Stage 04
AMS / Supervision
Explains sensitive work methods and, where required, how compliance is monitored on site.
Have a planning condition?
Send the exact wording and approved drawings.
You do not need to decide whether the council wants only a TPP or a wider AMS / supervision package. Send what you have and we can review the scope before you instruct.
How it works
From planning condition to usable site drawing.
01
Send the project information
Site address, planning condition, proposed layout and any existing survey / arboricultural documents.
02
Consultant review
We identify what information is usable, what the TPP needs to communicate and whether another stage is required.
03
Prepare the protection drawing
The retained-tree constraints and agreed protection measures are coordinated against the relevant site layout.
04
Issue & next steps
The completed plan is issued digitally. If an AMS or supervision is required, that can be scoped separately.
Tree Protection Plan cost
How much does a Tree Protection Plan cost?
There is no reliable one-price-fits-all TPP because the drawing has to reflect the real site, planning condition and construction constraints. Arbor Cultural reviews the available information first and provides a fixed-fee proposal for the agreed scope.
Available tree information: whether a suitable recent BS5837 survey / AIA already exists.
Drawing quality: whether the latest site layout and reliable base information are available.
Site complexity: number of retained trees, access constraints and interaction with construction.
Planning requirements: whether the condition also requires an AMS, supervision or other evidence.
Want a project-specific fee?
Send the postcode, condition wording and latest drawings. You do not need to prepare a technical brief first.
Get my fixed-fee quote →
Practical guidance
Protection only works when the site team can use it.
A fence line that cannot physically be installed is not an effective protection strategy. The drawing, construction sequence and any written methodology need to agree.
Read Arbor Cultural’s Tree Protection Plan construction guide →
A
Protect before damaging operations begin
Clearance, demolition, compounds and delivery activity can affect trees before foundation works start.
B
Coordinate access and storage
The site still has to function. Protection needs to reflect realistic vehicle, material and contractor movements.
C
Link sensitive operations to the AMS
Where special excavation, services, surfacing or supervision are required, the plan should direct the team to the relevant methodology.
Programme
How long does a Tree Protection Plan take?
Turnaround depends less on the number of words in the document and more on whether the correct tree information, current layout and planning requirement are available. A simple TPP based on a recent coordinated survey is a different instruction from a constrained project requiring updated tree data, revised CAD information or additional methodology.
Fastest route: send the condition wording, current layout and latest survey / AIA together.
Potential delay: superseded drawings, missing tree positions, unclear site boundaries or a design that has changed materially.
Site visit: may be required where existing information is insufficient or the protection cannot be resolved confidently from the available documents.
Construction deadline: include the genuine date when requesting the quote so availability can be considered before instruction.
Already under a pre-commencement condition?
Send the exact wording rather than summarising it. That is usually the quickest way to identify whether the council expects a TPP alone or a wider condition-discharge package.
Send my project details →
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Published feedback from clients who have instructed Arbor Cultural for planning, development, tree surveys and specialist arboricultural advice.
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Service coverage
Tree Protection Plans across London & the South East.
These are service areas, not claimed office locations. Open a region to see the named towns and localities covered.
Greater London · Surrey · West Sussex · East Sussex · Kent · Hampshire · Berkshire · Buckinghamshire · Oxfordshire
01 Surrey 75 locations
Abinger HammerAddlestoneAlburyAshAshteadBagshotBansteadBetchworthBisleyBookhamBramleyBrockhamByfleetCamberleyCaterhamChertseyChipsteadChobhamClaygateCobhamComptonCranleighDorkingEast MoleseyEffinghamEghamEnglefield GreenEpsomEsherEwellFarncombeFarnhamFetchamFrimleyGodalmingGodstoneGreat BookhamGuildfordHaslemereHershamHindheadHorleyKingswoodLeatherheadLightwaterLingfieldMersthamMilfordNew HawOttershawOxtedOxshottPirbrightRedhillReigateRipleySendShalfordSheppertonSmallfieldStaines-upon-ThamesSunbury-on-ThamesSurbitonTadworthThames DittonVirginia WaterWalton-on-ThamesWarlinghamWest ByfleetWest MoleseyWeybridgeWindleshamWokingWoldinghamWoodham
02 West Sussex 40 locations
AngmeringArundelBillingshurstBognor RegisBoshamBroadbridge HeathBurgess HillChichesterCopthorneCrawleyCuckfieldEast GrinsteadEast PrestonFelphamFernhurstFishbourneHassocksHaywards HeathHenfieldHorshamHurstpierpointLancingLindfieldLittlehamptonLoxwoodMiddleton-on-SeaMidhurstPetworthPulboroughRustingtonSayers CommonSelseyShoreham-by-SeaSouthbourneSouthwaterSouthwickSteyningStorringtonTangmereWorthing
03 East Sussex 30 locations
AlfristonBattleBexhill-on-SeaBrightonCrowboroughDitchlingEast DeanEastbourneForest RowHailshamHastingsHeathfieldHoveHurst GreenLewesMayfieldNewhavenNewickPeacehavenPevenseyPolegateRingmerRobertsbridgeRyeSaltdeanSeafordTelscombeUckfieldWadhurstWinchelsea
04 Greater London 87 locations
ActonBalhamBarking and DagenhamBarnesBarnetBatterseaBeckenhamBelgraviaBelsize ParkBexleyBlackheathBrentBrixtonBromleyCamdenCanary WharfChelseaChessingtonChislehurstChiswickCity of LondonClaphamCroydonDeptfordDulwichEalingElthamEnfieldFinchleyFulhamGreenwichHackneyHammersmithHammersmith and FulhamHampsteadHaringeyHarrowHaveringHayesHendonHighgateHillingdonHounslowIlfordIslingtonKensington and ChelseaKewKingston upon ThamesKnightsbridgeLambethLewishamLeytonMaryleboneMayfairMertonMill HillMortlakeMuswell HillNew MaldenNewhamNotting HillOrpingtonPeckhamPengePutneyPutney HeathRaynes ParkRedbridgeRichmond upon ThamesRuislipSidcupSouthallSouthwarkStreathamSuttonTeddingtonTootingTolworthTower HamletsTwickenhamUxbridgeWaltham ForestWandsworthWestminsterWimbledonWoolwichWorcester Park
05 Kent 41 locations
AshfordAylesfordBirchington-on-SeaBroadstairsCanterburyChathamCranbrookDartfordDealDittonDoverEdenbridgeFavershamFolkestoneGillinghamGravesendHerne BayHytheLyddMaidstoneMargateMinsterNorthfleetPaddock WoodQueenboroughRainhamRamsgateRochesterRoyal Tunbridge WellsSandwichSevenoaksSheernessSittingbourneSnodlandSouthboroughSwanleyTenterdenTonbridgeWest MallingWesterhamWhitstable
06 Hampshire 38 locations
AldershotAltonAndoverBasingstokeBishop's WalthamBordonEastleighEmsworthFarehamFarnboroughFleetFordingbridgeGosportHartley WintneyHavantHedge EndHookKingsclereLee-on-the-SolentLiphookLissLocks HeathLymingtonNew MiltonOdihamPetersfieldPortsmouthRingwoodRomseySouthamptonSouthseaStockbridgeTadleyTottonWaterloovilleWhitchurchWinchesterYateley
07 Berkshire 30 locations
ArborfieldAscotBinfieldBracknellBrayBurghfieldCookhamCrowthorneDatchetEarleyFinchampsteadHungerfordKintburyLambournLangleyMaidenheadNewburyPangbourneReadingSandhurstSloughSunningdaleThatchamThealeTilehurstTwyfordWarfieldWindsorWokinghamWoodley
08 Buckinghamshire 24 locations
AmershamAylesburyBeaconsfieldBletchleyBourne EndBuckinghamBurnhamChalfont St GilesChalfont St PeterCheshamGerrards CrossGreat MissendenHaddenhamHigh WycombeIverMarlowMilton KeynesNewport PagnellOlneyPrinces RisboroughStony StratfordWendoverWinslowWolverton
09 Oxfordshire 25 locations
Abingdon-on-ThamesBamptonBanburyBensonBicesterBurfordCartertonCharlburyChipping NortonDidcotEynshamFaringdonGoring-on-ThamesGroveHenley-on-ThamesKidlingtonOxfordSonning CommonThameWallingfordWantageWatlingtonWheatleyWitneyWoodstock
Tree Protection Plan FAQs
Clear answers to common TPP questions.
If your planning condition uses different wording, send the exact decision notice and we can review the requirement.
What is a Tree Protection Plan?
A Tree Protection Plan (TPP) is a scaled drawing that shows how retained trees will be protected during demolition and construction. It can identify Root Protection Areas, protective fencing, construction exclusion zones, temporary ground protection and site-specific controls.
When is a Tree Protection Plan required?
A TPP is commonly requested where retained trees could be affected by development. It may form part of a planning submission or be required later by a planning condition before demolition or construction starts.
Is a Tree Protection Plan the same as a BS5837 tree survey?
No. The tree survey records and categorises the relevant trees. The TPP is a later drawing that translates the approved retention and protection strategy into practical construction information.
What does a Tree Protection Plan show?
The exact content depends on the project, but a TPP can show retained and removed trees, Root Protection Areas, protective fencing, construction exclusion zones, temporary ground protection, access constraints and areas where specialist methods apply.
Does a Tree Protection Plan show Root Protection Areas?
Yes, where Root Protection Areas are relevant to the retained trees and the agreed planning or construction strategy. The plan should relate them clearly to the proposed layout and protection measures.
Does a Tree Protection Plan include tree protection fencing?
It commonly does. The plan can show the alignment of protective barriers and the areas that should remain excluded from normal construction activity.
What is a construction exclusion zone?
A construction exclusion zone is an area associated with retained trees where normal construction activity is restricted so that soil, roots, stems and crowns are protected from avoidable damage.
Does a TPP include ground protection?
It can. Where pedestrian or vehicle access across sensitive rooting areas is unavoidable, the TPP may identify temporary ground protection or another site-specific solution.
Can construction take place inside a Root Protection Area?
Sometimes controlled work may be possible, but it should not be assumed. The acceptability of any encroachment depends on the tree, the extent of the impact, site conditions, planning context and the proposed construction method.
What is the difference between a Tree Protection Plan and an Arboricultural Method Statement?
The TPP is primarily the drawing that shows where tree-protection measures and constraints apply. An Arboricultural Method Statement explains how sensitive demolition or construction operations will be carried out. The two documents often work together.
Does a TPP come after an Arboricultural Impact Assessment?
Often, yes. The Arboricultural Impact Assessment explains the effects of the proposed development and the mitigation strategy, while the TPP shows how retained trees will be protected spatially during the works.
Can a Tree Protection Plan help discharge a planning condition?
Yes, where the condition specifically requires an appropriate TPP or related tree-protection information. The exact submission should follow the wording of the decision notice and any approved arboricultural documents.
When should tree protection fencing be installed?
The required sequence depends on the approved documents, but protection is commonly installed before demolition, site clearance or construction activity that could affect retained trees or rooting areas.
Can a contractor move tree protection fencing?
Not casually. Where fencing or another approved protection measure needs to change, the project arboriculturist and, where necessary, the Local Planning Authority should be consulted before the protection layout is altered.
Do I need a topographical survey for a Tree Protection Plan?
A reliable site base is important because the plan needs to relate trees, the proposed layout and protection measures accurately. The information required depends on the site and the drawings already available.
How much does a Tree Protection Plan cost?
Cost depends on the size and complexity of the site, the available tree and drawing information, the planning condition, the number of retained trees and whether additional methodology or supervision is required. Arbor Cultural reviews the scope first and provides a fixed-fee proposal.
How long does a Tree Protection Plan take?
Timescales depend on the quality of the available information, the complexity of the site and current workload. Send any genuine planning or pre-commencement deadline with the enquiry so the programme can be considered before instruction.
Can homeowners commission a Tree Protection Plan directly?
Yes. Homeowners, architects, developers, planning consultants and contractors can all commission a TPP. You do not need to know every technical document required before contacting Arbor Cultural.
Do neighbouring trees need to be shown?
They can be relevant where neighbouring or off-site trees influence the application site or the proposed construction works. The correct scope depends on the existing survey information and development layout.
Do you provide the related BS5837 documents too?
Yes. Arbor Cultural also provides BS5837 tree surveys, Tree Constraints Plans, Arboricultural Impact Assessments, Arboricultural Method Statements and arboricultural supervision where those stages are required.
Can a Tree Protection Plan be prepared before planning permission is granted?
Yes. A TPP can form part of a planning submission where protection details are needed to demonstrate that the proposal is workable. On other projects it is prepared later to discharge a condition after permission has been granted.
Can a Tree Protection Plan be changed after approval?
A change may be possible, but an approved protection strategy should not be altered casually. The need for formal approval depends on the planning condition, scale of change and Local Planning Authority requirements. The project arboriculturist should review proposed changes before site protection is moved.
Does a TPP need to show site storage and compounds?
Where storage, welfare units, parking, spoil or compounds could affect retained trees, showing or coordinating those areas can make the protection strategy much more practical. The exact information required depends on the planning condition and site complexity.
Does a Tree Protection Plan cover services and drainage?
It can identify relevant service or drainage conflicts and protected areas. Detailed installation methods may need to sit in an Arboricultural Method Statement or engineering information, particularly where work approaches Root Protection Areas.
Does a TPP cover scaffolding?
Where scaffold erection, working platforms or contractor access interact with protected trees, the relationship should be considered. A constrained site may require a project-specific arrangement and ground protection rather than a generic note.
What happens if the building layout changes after the TPP is issued?
The arboricultural information should be reviewed against the revised layout. Changes to foundations, access, drainage, retaining walls, parking or services can create new conflicts even if the main building moves only slightly.
Can existing hard surfacing be used as tree protection?
On some projects an existing hard surface can contribute to temporary protection if it is suitable and intentionally retained for the relevant phase. Its later removal may still require a controlled method. This should be assessed for the actual site rather than assumed.
What is the difference between an RPA and a Construction Exclusion Zone?
The Root Protection Area is an arboricultural constraint associated with the tree's rooting environment. A Construction Exclusion Zone is the area protected from normal construction activity, often defined by fencing or another physical boundary. They can overlap but they are not automatically identical in every project.
Does the Tree Protection Plan need to stay on site?
Keeping the current approved drawing available to the site manager and contractors is good practice and may be required by the project methodology or planning condition. The team should be working from the current revision rather than an old planning issue.
What if tree protection is damaged or moved during construction?
The issue should be addressed promptly and the project arboriculturist consulted where the approved protection has been breached or altered. Depending on the permission and significance of the change, the Local Planning Authority may also need to be involved.
Do I need arboricultural supervision as well as a TPP?
Not always. Supervision is useful where the condition, AMS or protection strategy identifies sensitive operations that benefit from arboricultural attendance or compliance records. The requirement should be proportionate to the project.
Can a TPP include different demolition and construction phases?
Yes. On some sites the protection arrangement changes legitimately between phases. If so, the drawings and methodology should make the sequence clear so the contractor knows when each arrangement applies.
Need a Tree Protection Plan for your project?
Send the site, condition wording and drawings you already have. A consultant can review the likely scope and provide a fixed-fee proposal.