V.D.S. - 9 Trees and Hedges Guidelines Parish Council
Developers should be aware of the great importance this Design Statement places on trees and hedges and should make full use of the expertise and guidance of the District Council's Tree Officer. By 'Positive Planting' (i.e. planting extra trees), developers could enhance and preserve the character of the parish into the future. This is especially important on new sites. No tree/ hedge should be felled, especially if: it is in a prominent site ( e.g. church grounds, roadside banks, boundary of Country Park, on a hillside); it is part of a line or avenue of trees and its loss will disrupt the flow of greenery; it is a species not normally found in the area e.g. wellingtonia, white poplar, lime, Japanese Black Pine, Giant Sequoia. Exotic non-natives can be found in the gardens of Burcot Grange, Hunter's Hill, and Cropwood; there is some historical importance attached to the property and garden ( e.g. Rosemary Cottage); it is a mature, large tree; it is on the boundary; it is at the front of the property it is near greenbelt land /footpath and its loss brought the urban scene into the countryside. Trees and hedges should be retained as boundaries in preference to brick walls, wooden or metal fencing. If security is an issue planting prickly hedging such as holly, hawthorn (native) berberis, pyracantha and rosa rugosa (non-native) can offer protection against intruders and is preferable to brick wall and high metal gates. Highway regulations e.g. sight-Iines at entrances, often mean there is a conflict with preserving tree and hedges. Therefore developers, architects, landscape architects and engineers should work together to produce a plan that will preserve as much of the environment as possible. This will include: keeping entrances to the development to a minimum; placing and designing entrances in a position that will cause the least damage to the boundary; re-creating a similar green boundary if any is lost or damaged, rather than using man-made material; avoiding large metal gates, but if they must be used they must be set well back out of sight (such as at Lickey Grange). Houses have sometimes been built close to trees and in subsequent years residents have asked to have them felled. We would ask that: developers desil!n sites to avoid possible problems in the future; only diseased or dangerous trees are felled; Planning Conditions and Tree Preservation Orders are used where possible to protect existing trees. Any tree/ hedge lost should be replaced whenever possible. At key locations replacements should be of sufficient size to give instant visual impact. Native species will normally be required. Key locations are: village entrances distance viewpoints boundaries, especially those abutting footways near important buildings e.g. churches, community halls in or near an existing line of trees
	Figure 26 -Scots Pine edge Linthurst Newtown. Such mature trees need to be kept at all costs.
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Last Updated 27/06/2005