Driveway parking - calling root protection experts

[ollie]

We are in the midst of a build - foundations are done but we have a root protection where we want to extend our driveway to park cars for the house.

 

There is a condition in our planning that needs us to specify how we will construct this with relation to the root protection.

 

We went back saying we would 'protect root system for car parking spaces using Terram Geocell panels or similar will be used confining the infill and ensuring that downward forces are spread laterally, reducing pressure on the sub-base protecting the roots and allowing essential passage of air and water providing nutrients'

 

the response from tree officer “More details are required in the Method statement such as how the area will be excavated and when the protective fencing will be moved. This should reference recommendations in bs 5837 (2012).

 

any advice as to what to go back with we only want to take the topsoil away and put a basic gravel drive in... anybody au fait with bs 5837 (2012)?

 

much appreciated!

O.

 

 

 

 

[Russell griffiths]

It has been many years since I was involved in this stuff and then we always used our consultant. 

But what I will add is it’s always wise to include that all excavation will be carried out by hand digging, no mechanical excavation. 

With regards timing they probably want to know that any heavy trades will have finished before the fencing is removed to carry out the hand digging. 

What they don’t want is you removing the fence building a parking area and then Fred the delivery driver unloads 20 packs of blocks on top, so it’s all about reassuring them that you are going to continue to provide protection even if you remove the fence. 

[Bozza]

For our planning permission, which involves driveway construction across tree root protection areas, we submitted one of the online downloads from one of the many no dig geoweb companies, which shows a cross section of a typical no dig geoweb system.   And a tree survey report which supported such a system as sufficient mitigation.  They were happy with that and conditioned the planning permission that sash system should be installed.

 

I doubt your idea to replace topsoil with gravel will be a goer.  

 

 

 

[Temp]

3 hours ago, ollie said:

any advice as to what to go back with we only want to take the topsoil away and put a basic gravel drive in... anybody au fait with bs 5837 (2012)?

 

Unfortunately I think BS 5837 recommends no topsoil removal within the tree protection area. 

 

Google found...

 

https://www.trees.org.uk/Trees.org.uk/files/b6/b6a05a2e-ec86-4d23-aa92-42fdec8d67c0.pdf

 

See page 2 above and below the subheading "Development near trees". Later on it proposes a solution.

 

We had a planning condition requiring us to construct a permeable driveway. Later the planners told us that the hardcore we had used for a temporary surface wasn't considered permeable but we werent going to rip it all up. Since only a small part was under the trees we just ignored it and put gravel on top. So we are in breech of our planning condition. That was 12 years ago. Tree is still fine and the planners never mentioned it again.

Edited November 26, 2019 by Temp

[nod]

9 hours ago, ollie said:

We are in the midst of a build - foundations are done but we have a root protection where we want to extend our driveway to park cars for the house.

 

There is a condition in our planning that needs us to specify how we will construct this with relation to the root protection.

 

We went back saying we would 'protect root system for car parking spaces using Terram Geocell panels or similar will be used confining the infill and ensuring that downward forces are spread laterally, reducing pressure on the sub-base protecting the roots and allowing essential passage of air and water providing nutrients'

 

the response from tree officer “More details are required in the Method statement such as how the area will be excavated and when the protective fencing will be moved. This should reference recommendations in bs 5837 (2012).

 

any advice as to what to go back with we only want to take the topsoil away and put a basic gravel drive in... anybody au fait with bs 5837 (2012)?

 

much appreciated!

O.

 

 

 

 

We had strict riot protection written into our planning by Brutish Heritage 

We fenced around both areas for the duration of the build 

When it came to laying the drive we had no choice but to lay the drive over the area of one of the protection zones We removed a few of the roots and the 80 year old tree is fine 

Just before we moved in NW water moved a water hydrant in the other protected area Dug down 2 metres 

Moved it forward 2 metres Then filled with concrete Killing the oak tree 

NW have been down and said it may come back next year UNLIKELY But if it doesn’t it’s just one of those things 

I contacted planners they asked had I protested the area 

mans said well you couldn’t have done much more  

[Pete]

10 hours ago, ollie said:

We are in the midst of a build - foundations are done but we have a root protection where we want to extend our driveway to park cars for the house.

 

There is a condition in our planning that needs us to specify how we will construct this with relation to the root protection.

 

We went back saying we would 'protect root system for car parking spaces using Terram Geocell panels or similar will be used confining the infill and ensuring that downward forces are spread laterally, reducing pressure on the sub-base protecting the roots and allowing essential passage of air and water providing nutrients'

 

the response from tree officer “More details are required in the Method statement such as how the area will be excavated and when the protective fencing will be moved. This should reference recommendations in bs 5837 (2012).

 

any advice as to what to go back with we only want to take the topsoil away and put a basic gravel drive in... anybody au fait with bs 5837 (2012)?

 

much appreciated!

O.

 

 

 

 

We had this with our drive which had a yew tree adjacent to it and we had to confirm in our PP some of the points already mentioned above but when it came down to digging by hand I will leave it with you as to what we used to remove all the spoil!!