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LAND AT SUMMERFIELDS,
BOHEMIA ROAD, HASTINGS, TN34 l UT
Arboricultu ral Assessment Report
December 2015
Hastings Borough Gouncil
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LAND AT SUMMERFIELDS,
BOHEMIA ROAD, HASTINGS, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
December 2015
Hastings Borough Council
Contents Record
______________________________________________________________
Issue Revision Description Date Signed
______________________________________________________________
Signed: __________________
Position: Director
Date: __________________
CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. METHODOLOGY
3. ARBORICULTURAL RESULTS
4. ARBORICULTURAL EVALUATION
5. CONCLUSIONS
TABLES
FIGURES
APPENDICES
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Hastings Borough Council has commissioned The Ash Partnership UK Ltd. to
provide an arboricultural appraisal of land at the Summerfields property along
Bohemia Road in Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1UT, hereafter referred to as the
‘Site’.
1.2 This Site consists of two Local Authority buildings set within a low-lying land
platform, with sandstone cliffs to the west and north-west. The majority of the
remaining parts of the Site have been converted into hardstanding for access roads
and car parking, but there is also an unmanaged area of scrubby woodland to the
north in which the undefined northern boundary is situated.
1.3 The Local Authority are seeking to re-develop this Site as residential housing in
accordance with Proposed Site Layout Dwg. 12489_05-01 Rev 2.4 dated 10th
November 2015 by Sprunt. This will consist of housing units arranged around a
landscaped home zone, with a car parking court to the north-west and a biodiversity
garden to the south-east.
1.4 This Report sets out the arboricultural baseline in relation to the proposed
development and, where impacts on this resource are confirmed, sets out
appropriate mitigation and enhancement measures.
Land at Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
_________________________________________________________________________________
2. METHODOLOGY
2.1 The methodology was undertaken in accordance with BS 5837: 2012 Guide for
Trees in Relation to Design, Demolition & Construction: Recommendations (BSI
Standards Limited, April 2012 - ISBN 978 0 580 69917 7). This gives guidance on
the principles to be applied when considering structures in relation to trees, shrubs
and hedges. The standard recognises the problems of development close to
existing trees that are to be retained, and of planting trees close to
existing/proposed structures. Where development is proposed the standard
provides specific guidance for:
2.2 A summary of the procedures required for this survey is provided below.
2.3 Land Survey – Each individual tree was located on a base plan and the trees
identified to species level. Although the Standard advises that the survey should
continue outside the Site boundary to place the Site in context, if relevant, this was
not undertaken. Notes on the ground level spot heights were also taken.
2.4 Relevant Trees – Only trees in excess of 75mm stem diameter when measured at
1.5m above ground level are considered relevant using the Standard, unless small
specimens are of particular interest or potential value.
2.5 Species Identification – All native tree and shrub species were identified in
accordance with Stace (1997).
2.6 Tree Inventory - For each identified tree, the following additional attributes were also
assessed:
(c) Branch Spread – at the four cardinal points to represent the crown;
(d) Age Class – Based on Young, Middle-aged, Mature, Over-mature and Veteran;
(i) Category Grading – Based upon A, B, C and U grades, see Table 1 in the
British Standard, to be shown on a Tree Survey Plan.
Land at Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
_________________________________________________________________________________
3. ARBORICULTURAL RESULTS
3.1 The arboricultural appraisal included results for 48 trees relevant to this Site (trees
T1 to T48) as well as five tree groups (G1 to G5), all shown in Table 1.
3.2 Tree positions within the Site are shown on Figure 1, while Root Protection Areas in
relation to the proposed development works are shown on Figure 2.
Tree Identification
3.3 The three tree groups were established for the following reasons:
Group G5 – A difficult group of trees to survey as they are set within a dense
scrub of Bramble Rubus fruticosus agg. and Rhododendron Rhododendron
ponticum and so difficult to assess. Individual trees T37 to T48 are
recognised and have estimated stem sizes.
Tree Categorisation
Sycamore (trees T9 & T13), Lawson’s Cypress (tree T12) and Ash (tree
T14) which appear to part of the original soft landscaping and provide a
strong contribution to visual containment.
Sycamore (Tree T18) which stands immediately outside the Site boundary
and forms a prominent feature on the top of the western slope, beneath
which the built area platform is situated.
Group of Sessile Oak Quercus petraea (trees T19 to T21, T24, T25, T27,
T28 and T30 on the basis of their size and age, biodiversity value and their
strong contribution to visual containment along the upper slope/cliff to the
Land at Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
_________________________________________________________________________________
Lucombe Oak (tree T29d) which represents the only standing specimen of a
group of four trees, the rest leaning over the sandstone cliff and requiring
tree surgery to retain. An uncommon tree meriting retention in its own right.
Sycamore (trees T22 & T23) and Lucombe Oak (T29a to T29c) as these
valuable additional screening from fencing around the sports ground to the
north-west of Site.
Sycamore (tree T42) represents the largest tree within tree group G5 and
also provides a logical edge to the surrounding mature saplings that buffer
the adjacent Summerfields Wood LNR.
Tree Health
3.7 The only trees recommended for felling as a result of poor condition was tree group
G1 (containing trees T1 to T8) which have been too closely established and
received poor subsequent management; and tree T15 on the western bank which is
an old flowering cherry that has lost its leading shoot and has poor form.
Land at Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
_________________________________________________________________________________
4. ARBORICULTURAL EVALUATION
4.1 The Local Authority are seeking to re-develop this Site as residential housing in
accordance with Proposed Site Layout Dwg. 12489_05-01 Rev 2.4 dated 10th
November 2015 by Sprunt – see Appendix 1. This will consist of housing units
arranged around a landscaped home zone, with a car parking court to the north-
west and a biodiversity garden to the south-east.
Loss of mature trees T1 to T14 and planted saplings T31 to T36, all within
the main landscaping around the former Council buildings to accommodate
new buildings B2 and H1 to H10;
Loss of trees T37 to T41, T43, T44 and T46 within the surrounding mature
scrub to the north of the Site to accommodate new buildings B1 and B2; and
4.3 All of the remaining trees will be retained and would not be adversely affected by
the proposed development.
RPA Impacts
4.4 Tree T42 – Up to 20% of the south-western corner of the RPA would be lost to the
built area footprint of building H9/H10. As the tree position is ill-defined within
surrounding scrub, its precise relationship to the construction area is not accurately
known and therefore it is recommended that this is established during the setting
out of the development. The location of the tree may well prove to be too closely
set to the new building, or would result in the loss of too many structurally important
anchor roots. If the tree is removed then surrounding trees T45 and T47 will
maintain visual containment as part of the buffer of mature saplings adjacent to
Summerfields Wood LNR.
4.5 If this tree is retained, then its retention will require the following methodology:
Keep root plate well-watered until re-covering with sand and a geotextile.
Tree Surgery
4.6 Trees along the northern edge of the sandstone cliff in the north-western corner of
the Site are recommended for tree surgery as many have developed leans over the
cliff edge and would benefit from crown reduction or pollarding to reduce the canopy
weight and susceptibility to wind blow.
Land at Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
_________________________________________________________________________________
4.7 Recommended trees for major surgery include trees T26, T27, T29a to T29c, the
latter including hanging branches. Further surgery may be appropriate once the
problematic trees have been addressed in order to secure the future health of this
group of trees.
4.8 The Site will be well-contained as a result of the retained tree-clad western and
northern slopes, and the only opportunities for replacement trees would lie within
the landscaped home zone, see Appendix 1, and along the southern edge of the
gardens of new units H1 to H10.
4.9 Selection of appropriate trees in these locations will largely be at the discretion of
the HBC Arboricultural Officer, but the following selection is suggested:
Landscaped home zone to utilise small compact urban trees such as snake-
bark maples, whitebeams and rowans;
Planning Outputs
4.10 No work on, or in the near vicinity of, any of the trees will be undertaken:
1. Until written approval from the Hasting Borough Council (HBC) Arboricultural
Officer has been agreed;
4.11 A scaled Tree Protection Plan (TPP) will be provided and will accord with Figure 2
of this Report.
4.13 Trees T15 to T18 and tree groups G2 to G4 all lie approximately 1m above the
access road on the western bank, and so are set well back from construction traffic
and the main works area. Similarly, trees T19 to T30 are isolated on the north
slope and/or on top of the sandstone cliff, in the north-western corner of the Site.
Land at Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
_________________________________________________________________________________
Project Arboriculturalist
4.14 The Project Arboriculturalist will be Ashley Leftwich BSc MSc MIEEM of The Ash
Partnership (UK) Ltd.
Fencing Specifications
4.15 Specifications for the arboricultural fencing will based on those for Type I TPF as
set out in BS5837:2012 Guide for Trees in Relation to Design, Demolition &
Construction: Recommendations.
4.16 This is based on interlinking 3.5m lengths of 2m high Heras fencing, set on foot
blacks, the Type 1 fencing being additionally secured in place using 1.2m long steel
road-pins that will be driven into the ground.
4.17 The Type 1 permanent TPF will remain in place throughout the entire development.
During this time, the contained RPA will be regarded as an exclusion area in which
the following precautions shall be observed at all times:
No fire lighting.
4.19 Excavation work within the RPA will only be in accordance with the following:
Roots less than 25mm diameter can be severed, but those larger than this
must first be examined by a qualified Arboriculturalist.
4.20 A supervisory regime for the implementation and monitoring of the AMS, along with
a reporting process to the LPA, will need to be agreed between the HBC
Arboricultural Officer and the Project Arboriculturalist.
1. Pre-start Meeting
2. Pre-construction Site Visit – To confirm that the TPF is in place and any
requested tree works undertaken, photographs to be forwarded to HBC
Arboricultural Officer.
3. Construction Start Visit – To attend hand-digging work associated with the RPA,
and confirm that the TPF is still in place. Photographs to be forwarded to HBC
Arboricultural Officer.
Land at Summerfields, Bohemia Road, Hastings, TN34 1UT
Arboricultural Assessment Report
_________________________________________________________________________________
5. CONCLUSIONS
5.1 The tree resource within the Site is set out in section 3 of this Report.
5.2 Impacts upon the tree resource are identified as a result of development, along with
appropriate mitigation, is established in section 4 of this Report – including trees
requiring felling, remediation and root protection.
5.3 Replacement tree planting to green the central landscaped home zone and re-
establish the southern boundary is also recommended.
TABLES
TABLE 1 - ARBORICULTURAL SURVEY RESULTS
ROOT
CANOPY DIAMETER AT CANOPY SPREAD (m) BASELINE
HEIGHT PROTECTION PHYSICAL
TREE NO. SPECIES COMMON NAME FORM BASE BREAST RECOMMENDATIONS CATEGORY
(m) AREA (m) CHARACTERISTICS
(m) HEIGHT (mm) [& DEVELOPMENT IMPACTS]
[RPA]
North East South West
G4 Maidens &
Acer pseudplatanus Sycamore >14 n/a >220 2.64 4 4 4 4 - B
Multi-stemmed
T19 Quercus petraea Sessile Oak Maiden 220 2.64 - A
T20 Quercus petraea Sessile Oak Maiden 210 2.52 - A
T21 Quercus petraea Sessile Oak Maiden 300 3.60 - A
Dense Ivy on stems,
T22 Acer pseudplatanus Sycamore Multi-stemmed 190 + 200 2.76 - B
occasionally into crown base.
T23 Acer pseudplatanus Sycamore Maiden 190 2.28 - B
>14 n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
T24 Quercus petraea Sessile Oak Maiden 220 2.64 - A
T25 Quercus petraea Sessile Oak Multi-stemmed 260 + 280 3.82 - A
T37 to
Acer pseudplatanus Sycamore Maidens c.14 n/a 300 to 400 > 4.80 n/a n/a n/a n/a 5 trees set in dense scrub [Fell] C
T41
T42 Acer pseudplatanus Sycamore Maiden c.14 n/a 450 5.40 n/a n/a n/a n/a Set in dense scrub [Fell] B
G5
T43 to
Acer pseudplatanus Sycamore Maidens c.14 n/a 300 to 400 > 4.80 n/a n/a n/a n/a Set in dense scrub [Fell T43, T44 & T46] C
T47
T48 Acer pseudplatanus Sycamore Maiden c.14 n/a 300 3.60 n/a n/a n/a n/a Set in dense scrub - C
TAP_SBRH_apl_1511
FIGURES
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APPENDICES
Appendix 1
N D O N OT S C A LE D IME N S ION S OFF TH IS D R A W IN G
C H E C K A LL D IME N SION S ON S ITE B E FOR E FA B RIC A TION
R E P OR T A LL E RR OR S OR OMISS ION S TO S P RU N T LIMITE D
TH IS D R AW IN G IS P R OTE C TE D U N D E R C OP Y R IG H T A N D
S H A LL N OTB E R E P ROD U C E D IN P A R T OR W H OLE W ITH OU T
P R IOR EX P R E S SE D P E RMIS S ION OF S PR U N T LIMITE D
49
50
S
EAST
TOR
48 40
51 BLOCK
VI SI
47 41
52
39 FIRE
46 42 SERVI CES
38
45 43
COUNT Y
COURT
37
44
36
car parking 35
A2
court 34
1 Bo
he
mi
aR
oa
les
B1 d
POLI CE
cyc
STATION
B2
21 Site Plan (General View)
22 1 : 1250
23
24
25
26
20
17
27
28
19
29 18
30 H10
31 landscaped
33
32
home zone 15
16
H9 access path
H8 to woods
13
14 H7
9
11
12
H6
8
H5
7
10
H3 H4
12489 _ 05-01 - 3- 2
COUNTY
COURT 20 Northdown Street,
Kings Cross,
London N1 9BG
T +44 (0)20 7833 3555
F +44 (0)20 7837 0296
www.sprunt.net
1 : 200
01/12/201517:09:47
PHOTOGRAPHS
Suspected Lucombe Oak