BS5837 & Development Surveys
Tree survey work built to support a planning application — the only instruction type Mind the Trees is currently taking on.
A BS5837:2012 survey identifies, measures and assesses the condition of every tree relevant to a site, and sets out the Root Protection Areas that follow from that assessment. It's the standard that most Scottish planning authorities expect to see before they'll consider a scheme that has trees anywhere near it. Statutory constraints — including any Tree Preservation Orders affecting the site — are identified and addressed as part of every survey; see the Tree Preservation Orders guide for how those work.
Pricing & turnaround| Pricing | Competitive rates, quoted per site once the scope's clear — see what shapes the cost or get in touch for a free quote. |
|---|---|
| Turnaround | Within a fortnight of the site visit for typical residential and small-development instructions. |
| Survey & report | BS5837:2012 tree survey — species, dimensions, condition, category grading and Root Protection Area calculations for every tree on or adjoining the site. |
|---|---|
| Tree Constraints Plan | The survey data overlaid on the site, showing exactly where trees limit what can be built and where. |
| Arboricultural Impact Assessment | How a proposed layout affects the trees worth keeping, and what that means for the design. |
| Method Statement | Protective fencing, ground protection and construction-phase working methods, written to satisfy planning conditions. |
Survey data is collected and mapped through QGIS, CAD and DXF workflows, so crowns and Root Protection Areas are georeferenced rather than sketched — useful when a plan needs to sit accurately against a topographic or architect's drawing.
Recommendations on protection measures are written in performance terms — what the fencing or ground protection needs to achieve — rather than specifying one commercial product where an equivalent would do just as well.
Tree health & risk assessments, film & TV tree safety, and climbing work aren't listed here yet — see the About page for why, and get in touch if you're not sure whether your job fits.