What Is a Tree Protection Plan?
Updated: Jul 5
Construction activity can affect retained trees even where proposed buildings or structures are outside their Root Protection Areas or canopies.
Tree roots and the surrounding soil may be damaged by excavation, changes in ground levels, material storage, machinery movements, ground compaction and the installation of services. Stems and branches can also be damaged where construction access or working areas are positioned too close to trees.
A Tree Protection Plan, commonly abbreviated to TPP, is a scaled drawing showing where tree protection measures apply during demolition and construction. It helps the project team understand the relationship between retained trees, the proposed development and the areas where construction activity needs to be excluded or carefully controlled.
What is a Tree Protection Plan?
A Tree Protection Plan is a scaled drawing prepared for a specific development proposal.
It identifies the trees that are to be retained and shows the location and extent of the measures intended to protect them during relevant demolition and construction work.
Depending on the site and proposal, a TPP may show:
retained trees
trees proposed for removal, where their inclusion is necessary to clarify the development and protection strategy
Root Protection Areas
tree protection fencing
Construction Exclusion Zones
ground protection
controlled working areas
access routes
storage areas
temporary welfare facilities
other temporary construction requirements
project-specific tree protection measures.
A Tree Protection Plan may be prepared:
as additional information supporting a planning application
to address reserved matters
to discharge a planning condition
alongside an Arboricultural Method Statement.
A Tree Protection Plan is normally required where development proposals involving retained trees are being considered in accordance with BS5837. Its content and level of detail will depend on the site, the proposed work, the stage of the project and any relevant planning requirements.
How does a Tree Protection Plan fit into the BS5837 process?
A Tree Protection Plan usually forms part of a wider sequence of arboricultural input into design and construction.
The common stages include:
A BS5837 tree survey records the relevant trees and assesses their quality and condition.
A Tree Constraints Plan shows the principal tree-related constraints that should inform the developing design.
An Arboricultural Impact Assessment considers how the proposed development may affect the trees.
A Tree Protection Plan shows where protection measures and controlled working areas will apply.
An Arboricultural Method Statement explains how sensitive work and protection measures will be implemented.
For further information on the earlier stages, see our guides to whether you need a BS5837 tree survey for a planning application, what is included in a BS5837 tree survey report, and what an Arboricultural Impact Assessment is.
What does a Tree Protection Plan normally show?
A TPP should respond to the actual development proposal and the realistic requirements of demolition and construction.
Its precise content will vary, but the following information is commonly shown where relevant.
Trees to be retained and removed
Tree Protection Plans primarily focus on trees that are to be retained, as these are the trees requiring protection during demolition and construction.
Trees proposed for removal may also be shown where this is necessary to clarify the development layout, sequencing of work or overall protection strategy. Their status should be clearly distinguished from that of retained trees to avoid confusion on site.
The reasons for any proposed tree removals would normally be assessed and explained within the Arboricultural Impact Assessment.
Root Protection Areas
Root Protection Areas are shown around retained trees.
A Root Protection Area, or RPA, represents the area where roots and soil conditions should normally be protected to help maintain the tree’s health and stability.
The RPA allows the relationship between the trees and the development to be understood on the drawing. It may highlight potential conflicts with buildings, surfacing, access routes, drainage, services or temporary working areas.
Although an RPA is initially calculated from the dimensions of the tree, its shape may sometimes require site-specific arboricultural assessment. Existing structures, roads, soil conditions, levels and other features can influence likely root distribution.
Showing an RPA is important, but it does not by itself define a complete tree protection strategy.
Tree protection fencing
The TPP will show the location and alignment of protective barriers around retained trees.
These barriers are intended to prevent construction activity from entering areas that need to remain protected. The drawing should make their proposed position clear in relation to the trees, Root Protection Areas, canopies, and development layout.
Protective fencing does not automatically need to follow the exact edge of an RPA. Its position should respond to the tree constraints, site conditions and practical construction requirements.
The detailed fencing specification, installation requirements, timing and management would normally be set out in the accompanying Arboricultural Method Statement.
Construction Exclusion Zones
Areas enclosed or otherwise protected from normal construction activity may be identified as Construction Exclusion Zones.
The TPP shows the location and extent of these areas so that the project team can understand where access and construction activities are restricted.
This helps communicate the protected areas visually to architects, contractors, site managers and others involved in organising or carrying out the work.
Any detailed restrictions or procedures applying within or around a Construction Exclusion Zone would normally be set out in the accompanying Arboricultural Method Statement.
Ground protection areas
Where access or working space is required close to retained trees, the TPP may show areas where ground protection is needed.
These may include:
protected access routes
temporary working areas
areas of retained hard surfacing
parts of an RPA where controlled construction activity is permitted.
The drawing should show the extent of the protected area and its relationship with retained trees. The required type, loading capacity, installation method and permitted use of the ground protection would normally be specified within the Arboricultural Method Statement.
Controlled working areas
A Tree Protection Plan may identify areas where work close to retained trees cannot be entirely avoided but must be carried out under specific controls.
These could include:
controlled excavation areas
no-dig construction zones
supervised working areas
special access arrangements
work close to tree canopies.
The TPP shows where these controls apply, while the detailed working procedure would normally be explained in the Arboricultural Method Statement.
For example, the plan may identify an area where controlled excavation is required, while the Arboricultural Method Statement explains how the excavation should be undertaken.
Access, storage and site setup
Tree protection planning needs to consider temporary construction requirements as well as the permanent development.
A proposed structure may be located outside an RPA, but its construction may still require machinery, deliveries, scaffolding or working space close to retained trees.
Where relevant, the TPP may show or account for:
site entrances
vehicle and plant routes
delivery routes
contractor parking
material storage areas
site compounds
scaffolding zones
temporary structures and
construction working space.
Showing these relationships can help identify conflicts before work begins. It can also reduce the risk that tree protection measures later need to be moved because they obstruct an essential access route or working area.
Services and drainage
The location of drainage, utilities and other services may need to be considered in relation to retained trees.
Even where a proposed building is outside an RPA, trenches, inspection chambers or service connections may create separate conflicts with tree roots.
A TPP may therefore show relevant routes or identify areas where services and drainage need to be coordinated with Construction Exclusion Zones and controlled working areas. This helps ensure that potential conflicts are considered as part of the overall tree protection strategy rather than in isolation.
Areas requiring arboricultural supervision
The plan may identify areas where work close to retained trees is expected to require arboricultural supervision or monitoring.
These may include locations involving:
controlled excavation
removal of existing surfacing
demolition close to retained trees
construction work within or adjacent to an RPA or tree canopy.
The TPP identifies where supervision may apply. Details such as the required attendance, working procedures and records would normally be set out in the Arboricultural Method Statement.
What is the difference between a Tree Constraints Plan and a Tree Protection Plan?
A Tree Constraints Plan and a Tree Protection Plan have different purposes and are generally used at different stages of the development process.
A Tree Constraints Plan shows the existing tree-related constraints that should inform the design. It is normally prepared at an earlier stage, before or during the development of the proposed layout.
It may show features such as:
tree positions
crown spreads
Root Protection Areas
tree quality categories and
other constraints relevant to design.
A Tree Protection Plan responds to a sufficiently developed proposal. It shows where tree protection measures and controlled working areas will apply during demolition and construction.
Put simply:
the Tree Constraints Plan helps show what should influence the design
the Tree Protection Plan helps show where protection is needed while the development is built.
What is the difference between a Tree Protection Plan and an Arboricultural Method Statement?
The Tree Protection Plan and Arboricultural Method Statement are commonly prepared together, but they perform different functions.
The Tree Protection Plan is primarily a scaled drawing showing:
where protective measures are located
which areas are protected
where controlled working may occur and
how the protection strategy relates to the proposed development.
The Arboricultural Method Statement is primarily a written document explaining:
how protection measures will be implemented
when sensitive operations will occur
how work close to trees will be carried out and
what responsibilities, supervision or monitoring may apply.
For example:
the TPP shows where tree protection fencing is positioned
the AMS explains its specification, installation and management.
Similarly:
the TPP shows where ground protection is required
the AMS explains how it should be installed and to what specification.
Flow Tree Consultancy normally provides the two documents as a coordinated service so that the written methods correspond with the drawing.
A separate guide explaining what an Arboricultural Method Statement is provides more detail on the written document.
When might a Tree Protection Plan be needed?
A Tree Protection Plan is typically needed where retained trees may be affected by demolition, construction or associated temporary site activities.
This may include situations where:
a planning application involves development close to retained trees
demolition or construction access is required near trees
plant movements, scaffolding, storage or working space may affect an RPA or tree canopy
services or drainage are proposed close to retained trees
ground levels or existing surfacing are to be altered
trees on neighbouring land have RPAs or canopies extending into the development site
a local planning authority requests tree protection information
a planning condition requires a detailed tree protection strategy.
A TPP may be needed even where the permanent buildings are outside the RPAs of retained trees, as temporary construction operations can still affect roots, soil, stems and branches.
When should a Tree Protection Plan be prepared?
The appropriate timing and level of detail will depend on the stage of the project and the information available.
A Tree Protection Plan may be submitted as additional information with a planning application, particularly where the local planning authority needs to understand whether retained trees can be protected while the proposal is constructed.
In other cases, the principle of development may be considered first, with a more detailed and dimensioned Tree Protection Plan prepared later to address reserved matters or discharge a planning condition.
At either stage, the plan should be based on a sufficiently developed proposal and should take realistic construction requirements into account. This may include access, working space, site setup, services, drainage and temporary operations close to retained trees.
Preparing the plan before these matters are understood may result in a protection strategy that does not correspond with the eventual construction process. However, leaving tree protection planning until work is about to begin can reduce the opportunity to resolve conflicts through design and coordination.
Who uses a Tree Protection Plan?
Who uses a Tree Protection Plan?
A Tree Protection Plan may be used by:
architects
developers
planning consultants
contractors
site managers
groundworkers
utility contractors
arboricultural consultants
local planning authorities.
The plan should be practical, legible and available to the people organising and carrying out the work on site.
It should not exist only as a document submitted as part of a planning application. Where appropriate, its requirements should also be reflected in construction drawings, site briefings, tender information and other relevant project documents.
Common misunderstandings about Tree Protection Plans
A Tree Protection Plan is not the same as a Tree Constraints Plan
A Tree Constraints Plan helps inform the design of a development. A Tree Protection Plan responds to a sufficiently developed proposal and shows where protection measures will apply during demolition and construction.
Showing an RPA does not create a complete protection plan
Root Protection Areas are an important part of the assessment, but a complete TPP may also need to address fencing, Construction Exclusion Zones, ground protection, access and controlled working areas.
Protective fencing does not always follow the RPA boundary
The appropriate fencing alignment depends on the trees, site conditions, development proposal and overall protection strategy. Any departure from the RPA boundary should be supported by project-specific arboricultural assessment.
Temporary construction activity can affect trees
Plant movements, scaffolding, contractor parking, material storage and temporary access can affect trees even where the permanent development is outside their RPAs.
The required level of detail varies
A domestic extension and a large redevelopment are unlikely to require the same level of information. The TPP should be proportionate to the site, the proposal and the potential effects on retained trees.
A Tree Protection Plan does not guarantee planning approval
A TPP is one part of the information used to consider trees in relation to development. Other planning, design and technical matters will also influence the decision.
Professional arboricultural advice
Flow Tree Consultancy is led by a qualified arboricultural consultant with a First Class BSc (Hons) in Arboriculture and Urban Forestry, Professional Membership of the Arboricultural Association, LANTRA Professional Tree Inspection training, and a decade of industry experience.
This includes extensive experience providing arboricultural input for planning and development projects, including BS5837 surveys and reports, tree protection measures and construction-stage arboricultural advice.
You can find out more about Flow Tree Consultancy’s qualifications, experience and professional approach on the About page.
Tree Protection Plans for development and construction
Where retained trees may be affected by demolition or construction, Flow Tree Consultancy can prepare coordinated Tree Protection Plans and Arboricultural Method Statements to support planning applications, discharge conditions and guide work on site.
We provide planning and development arboricultural services across Kent, Sussex, London, Surrey and Hampshire.
Find out more about our Arboricultural Method Statement and Tree Protection Plan service, explore our wider Planning and Development services, or contact Flow Tree Consultancy to discuss your project.
