Item 6 app 3 - Tree felling within area covered by Brucehill Cliffs Tree Preservation Order
West Dunbartonshire Council · 8 June 2022
Back to Planning Committee — 8 June 2022 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 Tree Replacement Proposals Cardross Road, Dumbarton Planning Application Reference – DC21/211/FUL Date: 24th May 2022
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2 Contents: 1.0 Introduction/Summary 2.0 Tree Removal Assessment 3.0 Tree Replacement Proposals 4.0 Supporting Visual Representation of Proposals. 5.0 DWA Landscaping Proposal for Development
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3 1.0 Introduction/Summary 1.1 In response to the inadvertent tree felling within the TPO which took place on the development site at Cardross Road, Dumbarton, on behalf of the landowners, Slate Island Developments, we are presenting our replacement proposal in order to give West Dunbartonshire Council reassurance that the inadvertent removal of the trees will be mitigated by adopting a robust re- planting proposal which will be incorporated and embedded within the overall developments landscaping proposals. 2.0 Tree removal Assessment 2.1 Following the mistaken and inadvertent removal of the trees in question WDC requested that the site landowners carry out an assessment to determine the extent of the number of trees which had been inadvertently felled, their appointed consultant, Julian A Morris (Professional Tree Services) carried out the survey and on completion WDC undertook their own survey, the following table of contents is a combined representation of both assessments and is agreed by both the landowners and the council.
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5 2.2 BASED ON “TPO (WDC13, 2021) Brucehill Cliffs: Tree Removal Assessment” (Additional comments by JMPTS on 24/5/22) [WDC] Count Location Tag number Species Grade Life stage [WDC] Comment [20/5/22] JMPTS comment [24/5/22] 1 Cliff glade 4088 Sycamore A Mature Felled, as recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey Noted 2 Cliff glade 4089 Sycamore C Early mature Felled, as recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey Noted 3 Cliff glade 4097 Norway maple A Mature Felled, as recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey Noted 4 Cliff glade 4098 Lime A Mature Felled, as recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey Noted 5 Cliff glade 4099 Norway maple B Mature Felled, as recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey Noted 6 Along boundary with convent house 12 Silver birch C Semi mature One stem of 4 multi-stem tree has been removed. Not recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Tree has also been marked with paint. Recorded in DRA survey as 4 stemmed mixed broadleaf group #12 7 Along boundary with convent house No tag, in between 12 and 187 Silver birch Young silver birch stem recently removed, sap present. Not recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. By elimination, must be #186. Small high stump noted in photo record. 8 Along boundary with convent house 187 Downy birch C Young Recorded as felled in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Felled tree confirmed in mapped location, no tag found to confirm tree. Agreed no tag could be found at Apr 2022
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6 [WDC] Count Location Tag number Species Grade Life stage [WDC] Comment [20/5/22] JMPTS comment [24/5/22] 9 Group 1 (189 to 202) 189 Goat willow B Early mature This tree is felled and unrecorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Photographic record shows #189 has been felled. 10 Group 1 (189 to 202) 190 Goat willow B Early - mature Recorded as felled in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Felled tree confirmed in mapped location, no tag found to confirm tree. Agreed no tag could be found at Apr 2022 11 Group 1 (189 to 202) 191 Silver birch B Semi - mature Recorded as felled in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Felled tree confirmed in mapped location, no tag found to confirm tree. Agreed no tag could be found at Apr 2022 12 Group 1 (189 to 202) 192 Goat willow C Semi- mature 192 is recorded as standing in the report and 193 as down, however 193 is intact and is a Silver birch, as are 194 and 195. Agreed. Photo record shows #192 down, 193 standing. 13 Group 1 (189 to 202) 196 Silver birch C Young Recorded as felled in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Felled tree confirmed in mapped location, no tag found to confirm tree. Agreed no tag could be found at Apr 2022 14 Group 1 (189 to 202) 197 Silver birch This tree is felled and not recorded on developer’s initial tree report or tree removal survey but tagged on site. Agreed. Photo record shows #197 down. 15 Group 1 (189 to 202) 198 Silver birch B Early- mature Recorded as felled in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Felled tree confirmed in mapped location, no tag found to confirm tree. Presumed omitted from original survey. Agreed no tag could be found at Apr 2022 16 Group 1 (189 to 202) 199 Goat willow B Mature Recorded as felled in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey. Felled tree Agreed no tag could be found at Apr 2022
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7 [WDC] Count Location Tag number Species Grade Life stage [WDC] Comment [20/5/22] JMPTS comment [24/5/22] confirmed in mapped location, no tag found to confirm tree. 17 Group 1 (189 to 202) 200 Goat willow C Semi- mature As recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey, tagged tree confirmed on site. Agreed. Photo record shows #200 down. 18 Group 1 (189 to 202) 201 Goat willow B Semi- mature As recorded in consultant’s Tree Removal Survey, tagged tree confirmed on site. Agreed. Photo record shows #201 down. 19 Group 1 (189 to 202) 202 Goat willow Felled tree not recorded developer’s initial tree report or tree removal survey but tagged on site. Presumed omitted from original survey. No tag could be found at Apr 2022 20 At site vehicle entrance 206 Sycamore C Semi- mature Felled, this was the one tree within the TPO that was to be granted permission for removal as part of application. Noted. 21-33 Spread throughout Group 1 within TPO WDC13 Unrecorded smaller tree stumps Mixed species These are trees within the woodland TPO area that were unrecorded in the developer’s initial tree report or tree removal survey, most likely due to their smaller than 15cm diameter size. Regardless, they have been felled within a woodland TPO site without permission and have been included in the overall count. These all occur within the Group 1 area. Noted. No pre-removal records exist.
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8 3.0 Tree Replacement Proposals by Julian A Morris – Professional Tree Services 3.1 No further operations to be carried out on site until the tree protection recommended in the Arb Impact Assessment and Tree Protection Plan of March 2022 (version 3) and the addendum of March 2022 are put in place and checked by the project arboriculturist; 3.2 The protective measures should be put in place without any vehicles entering the protected areas; 3.3 No tree work arisings should be removed from site or relocated within the site at this time unless otherwise agreed with WDC. 3.4 In order to allow weeds to be supressed and return nutrients to the soil the existing brash should be chipped from outside the protected areas. The ground within the TPO has species such as wild garlic and bluebells growing and the impact to these must be mitigated. It is proposed to use the excess brash around new planting areas and mulching for landscaping features such as ornamental trees or new hedge rows. No brash will be used on the woodland floor and all surplus will be removed from site; however, this will not take place until after the bird nesting season (31st August) but must be complete by the end of October to avoid becoming a suitable hedgehog habitat. 3.5 The young sycamore saplings that have grown since the large canopy removal are already beyond the height that would be impacted by mulching; therefore, it is our intention to remove these by hand as ‘positive woodland management’ which is permitted under the TPO. 3.6 The heavy sections lying in the south corner are to be left in place as deadwood habitat but made stable safe and in contact with the ground as much as possible. It should be deliberately 'distressed' to accelerate habitat development; Note that given the volume an agreement should be reached with WDC in regards to what can be removed to ensure adequate open space provision is still achieved throughout the development. The heavy logs already piled on site and the scattered logs will be utilised within the natural play area proposed within the development. In addition, any surplus material will be offered to WDC Education Department’s Greenspace Support for Schools and Nurseries initiative in order to provide logs which can be re- purposed into seats for children or for use in Forest School and Outdoor learning. .
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9 3.7 A system of arboricultural supervision and monitoring to be agreed with WDC and then implemented. It should meet with and where necessary exceed the requirements of the planning conditions. 3.8 Replanting (advising against like-for-like replacement of sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) and norway maple (Acer platanoides), a native mix is to be preferred and can be specified in due course, with the objective of improving on habitat relative to what has been removed) and aftercare within the TPO area to be undertaken in accordance with a plan to be agreed with WDC. It should comprise a mixture of rootballed, guyed/staked specimens and smaller bare root trees, at an overall replacement ratio of 5:1 to allow for losses, to promote competition and companion shelter and to achieve a net overall increase in tree cover. This should be thinned to 3:1 within 10 years; Refer following proposed re-placement schedule for specific species/sizes; Species Abbreviation Planting size No. Sessile Oak Qupe Heavy Standard 5 Downy Birch Bepu(f) Feathers 10 Bepu(s) Standards 5 Bird Cherry Prpa Standards 10 Rowan Soau(f) Feathers 10 Soau(s) Standards 5 Hazel Coav Feathers 20 Scots Pine Pisy Feathers 10 All 75 3.9 Consideration to be given to extending the replanting into areas in the south corner that did not and do not have tree cover. 3.10 Selection, planting and aftercare to be carried out in accordance with BS 8545:2014 “Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape – Recommendations” 3.11 Planting design to be integrated with any additional planting that is being undertaken along the cliff edge to provide continuity of habitat and green network linkage with the Havoc Hole woodland corner; a thorny species woodland edge mix along the cliff face area is proposed and these species will be replicated throughout the TPO boundary.
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10 3.12 Specimen planting to be undertaken any time after the tree protection barriers are in place, and bare root planting within the dormant season 22-23; Agreement to be reached with WDC in regards to programme and phasing of works to ensure that any planting works is not abortive relative to construction. 3.13 The stumps of shrubby Prunus laurocerasus that have been left at about 0.5m high, to be reduced to as near ground level as practicable and treated with a herbicide, as they will otherwise out-compete replacement native planting; No stumps to be removed, ground out or grubbed up. Whereas regenerative growth from stumps is very likely this will not be structurally viable as it matures and consideration should be given to its removal at the thinning stage or if it is out-competing the new planting. Note: Where stumps have been cut to 30-50 cm above ground these will be reduced to ground level by means of reducing trip hazards for people working in and around the site.
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11 4.0 Supporting Visual Representation of Proposals 4.1 The following visual representations are to allow WDC to understand the visual aspect of the finalised proposals specifically within the TPO area;
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12 4.2 South West View Towards the River Clyde;
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13 4.3 East View Towards the Carmelite Monastery;
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14 4.4 North East View Towards Cardross Road;
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15 5.0 DWA Landscaping Proposal for Development 5.1 The following landscaping proposal has been undertaken by DWA Landscaping and forms the basis of the overall development, however it should be noted that the TPO area is of course supplemented with the proposal as detailed within this report.
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16 5.2 Landscaping drawing (also attached as an appendix for ease of reading)