Tree protection plan (TPP)

A TPP combines a scaled site drawing with a written specification. The drawing plots every tree protection measure precisely onto your site layout: temporary fencing lines, Construction Exclusion Zones (CEZs), areas of temporary ground protection where vehicles must cross Root Protection Areas, and any zones where material storage or construction activity is restricted.

The written element supports the drawing by setting out how each measure must be installed, what contractors must avoid, and what steps are required if protective barriers need to be temporarily moved during construction. Together, they leave nothing to interpretation on site.

Where an Arboricultural Method Statement is also required, the TPP links directly to it, ensuring that site-specific guidance for sensitive operations is captured in one place.

When planning permission is granted for a development where trees are being retained, the local authority attaches conditions to ensure those trees survive the build. A TPP is the standard mechanism for satisfying those conditions before any work begins on site.

Starting construction without a signed-off TPP is a breach of your planning conditions. If retained trees are subsequently damaged, the consequences can include enforcement action, financial penalties, and a requirement to carry out compensatory planting at your cost. A properly prepared TPP removes that risk entirely.

Creating a TPP follows a clear sequence, beginning with the data collected during the BS5837 tree survey and working through to a finished document ready for council submission.

First, survey data covering the condition, size, and species of every retained tree is used as the foundation. Protection measures are then plotted directly onto the site plan, with Root Protection Areas checked against the proposed development layout to identify any conflicts. Necessary measures are specified, including fencing type and position, ground protection solutions, and CEZ boundaries. Where required, a supporting Arboricultural Method Statement provides written guidance for sensitive operations. The finished plan is delivered as both a PDF and a CAD drawing for submission to your local planning authority.

Protection measures are designed around the Root Protection Area of each retained tree, calculated from the BS5837 survey data. Fencing is positioned to keep construction activity, ground compaction, and materials storage clear of the root zone throughout the build.

Where site constraints mean that some activity within a Root Protection Area cannot be avoided, the TPP specifies what is permissible and under what conditions, including any ground protection measures such as no-dig surfaces or load-spreading matting that must be in place first. Nothing is left to the contractor’s discretion.

A TPP is produced after planning consent has been granted, not before. It sits downstream of the BS5837 tree survey and, where one was required, the Arboricultural Impact Assessment.

Timing matters. Most planning consents require the TPP to be approved by the local authority before demolition or construction begins. Leaving it until work is ready to start risks a delay while the council reviews and approves the document. Commission the TPP as soon as consent lands so it is ready before your contractor mobilises.

TPP pricing depends on the number of retained trees, the complexity of the site, and whether a BS5837 survey has already been completed. Where we carried out the original survey, we already hold the site data and can produce the TPP efficiently.

Request a quote with your planning consent reference and site address. We’ll confirm what’s needed and get a fixed price back to you promptly. No hidden costs, no open-ended fees.