Guide
BS5837 arboricultural survey: what is recorded, when it is needed, cost
Updated
A BS5837 arboricultural survey records every tree that could be affected by a development and grades it, so the layout can be designed around the trees worth keeping. UK consultants publish prices for it from £275, with a median of £349 across 21 firms.
What the standard is
BS 5837:2012, Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction is the British Standard planning authorities expect tree information to follow. The survey records each tree's species, size and condition, grades it, and sets a root protection area around each tree to be kept, drawn on a tree constraints plan.
When you need one
A council asks for it through its local validation list when trees are on or next to the site (GOV.UK, making an application). It is also the starting point if any tree is protected: work on a tree under a preservation order needs the council's consent, and that consent is valid for two years from the date it is granted (the Tree Preservation Regulations 2012).
Protected trees: the rules in force
- Tree preservation order
- The council has 8 weeks from the day after it receives an application for consent to decide it (regulation 19); see also GOV.UK guidance.
- Conservation area
- Work on a tree in a conservation area needs six weeks' notice to the council first, and the work must then be done within two years of the notice (section 211, Town and Country Planning Act 1990).
- A new order
- When an order is made, anyone may object for at least 28 days after the notice (the 2012 Regulations).
What it costs
| Consultant | Published price |
|---|---|
| ACP Consultants | from £275 |
| Arbtech | from £349 |
| Surrey Tree Consultant | from £350 |
| Green Canopy Consultancy | from £580 |
Sources: ACP Consultants, Arbtech, Surrey Tree Consultant and Green Canopy Consultancy. Across all 21 firms that publish, the median is £349 and the range £200 to £1,495 (every row).
What to ask
- Is a tree constraints plan included with the survey?
- Will the survey be done before the layout is fixed, so the design can work around the trees?
- Does the price cover every tree within the distance the standard asks for, including trees on neighbouring land?
Published figures are what each provider advertises on its own page, read through our fetch box on the date shown. A 'from' price is the provider's floor, not the price of your survey.