Arborist report for planning applications

Your planning permit application may require an arborist report if you are proposing to:

• remove or prune any trees
• build or carry out works in close proximity to trees on site or on adjoining properties.

The arborist report must, as a minimum, include a schedule listing all relevant trees and a plan.

Schedule of trees

This should list all trees on the site, on adjoining properties and the road reserve that may be impacted by any proposed buildings and/or works. 

Each tree must be individually numbered with the following information:

• species, common name and origin
• height
• canopy width
• girth (also referred to as circumference or diameter)
• structural root zone dimension  (SRZ)
• Tree Protection Zone dimension (TPZ)
• approximate age or maturity
• Useful Life Expectancy (ULE)
• health and structure
• arboricultural value
• recommendation – whether the tree is to be retained, pruned or removed
• impact of the proposed works assessment
• recommendations for protecting trees to be retained.

Plan of trees

The report must include a plan of the property, showing:

• location of each tree identified by the number assigned it in the arborist report
• Tree Protection Zone and Structural Root Zone clearly shown for each tree consistent with the arborist report
• clear identification of which trees will be ‘retained’, ‘pruned’ or ‘removed’.

The report should be produced by a qualified arborist (minimum of Australian Qualification Framework Level 5 (Certificate V) in Arboriculture).

More information

• Use our Remove, destroy or lop tree(s) or vegetation planning application checklist (10P)
• Removing or lopping trees and native vegetation