BS5837 Tree Survey & Arboricultural Planning Package — NHS GP Surgery, Whitefield Library, Whitefield

CLIENT: NHS Property Services Ltd

ARCHITECT: Gilling Dod

PROJECT TYPE: Full BS5837 arboricultural planning package for new primary care GP surgery

SERVICES DELIVERED: BS5837 Tree Survey, Tree Constraints Plan (AutoCAD), Arboricultural Impact Assessment, Tree Protection Plan, Arboricultural Method Statement

THE CHALLENGE:

NHS Property Services Ltd, working with architect Gilling Dod, was developing proposals to convert the existing Whitefield Library on Pinfold Lane in Whitefield, M45 into a new primary care GP surgery — a significant healthcare infrastructure project serving the local community in the Bury borough. The proposed scheme involved modifications to the existing single storey library building, demolition of an existing garage and former day centre, new hard landscaping, car parking, cycle shelters, pedestrian walkways, and new access arrangements — all within a constrained urban site surrounded by residential properties.

The site contained a significant population of mature trees — a total of 18 individual trees and groups — many of which had root protection areas extending into the proposed works footprint. Bury Council's planning team required a full BS5837 arboricultural planning package before the application could be validated, and NHS Property Services needed a survey and impact assessment that accurately identified all constraints, supported the design team in optimising the layout to retain the highest quality trees, and provided the complete arboricultural planning documentation required for submission.

The site presented a number of specific arboricultural challenges — the proposed building footprint and associated hard landscaping overlapped with several tree groups and root protection areas, below-ground service routing within root protection areas needed to be addressed, and the existing hard surfacing across much of the site required removal and replacement in areas adjacent to retained trees — all requiring detailed assessment and carefully specified protection and construction methodologies.

OUR ROLE:

Urban Tree Management was commissioned by NHS Property Services Ltd to deliver the complete BS5837 arboricultural planning package for the Whitefield GP Surgery project — from initial tree survey through to Tree Protection Plan and Arboricultural Method Statement.

The BS5837 tree survey recorded all 18 trees and groups within the survey area — assessing species, dimensions, condition, and arboricultural value and categorising every tree in accordance with BS5837:2012. The survey identified six individual trees and one group of moderate quality and condition categorised as Category B with a remaining useful contribution of at least 20 years — including T002, T003, T004, T005, T008, and T011 — and five individual trees and six groups of low quality and condition categorised as Category C with at least ten years remaining contribution.

A Tree Constraints Plan was produced in AutoCAD at 1:500 scale, plotted onto the Ordnance Survey base with all tree positions, crown spreads, root protection areas, and BS5837 categories clearly shown — giving the Gilling Dod design team a precise picture of the arboricultural constraints across the full site before the layout was finalised.

The Arboricultural Impact Assessment assessed all direct and indirect impacts of the proposed development on every tree within the survey area. The proposed scheme required the removal of Category C groups G010 and G013 — both of suppressed form, limited condition, and low long-term contribution — which fell directly within the footprint of the new GP surgery building and associated hard landscaping. Their removal was assessed as necessary to facilitate the development and did not result in the loss of any high-value arboricultural features. All six Category B trees were assessed as retainable with appropriate protection measures and construction methodologies in place throughout the build programme.

The Tree Protection Plan was produced in AutoCAD specifying Construction Exclusion Zones for all retained trees, tree protection fencing positions and specifications, trunk protection requirements where working areas were close to retained stems, and areas requiring temporary ground protection where access within root protection areas was necessary. The plan addressed the specific challenges of below-ground service routing within root protection areas — specifying the use of hand digging methods in accordance with the National Joint Utilities Group guidelines for utility services in proximity to trees where services were required to enter root protection areas. Seasonal nuisance issues were also addressed — noting that leaf guards and grilles should be incorporated into gutter and downpipe design given the proximity of retained trees to the new building.



The Arboricultural Method Statement set out the detailed working methods for all construction operations near retained trees — including the removal and replacement of existing hard surfacing within and adjacent to root protection areas under direct arboricultural supervision using hand tools and controlled methods, the installation of replacement surfacing using construction methods avoiding soil compaction and root disturbance, and the lining and sealing of any excavations within root protection areas to prevent concrete leachate entering the soil.

THE OUTCOME:

NHS Property Services Ltd and Gilling Dod received a complete, professionally produced BS5837 arboricultural planning package for the Whitefield GP Surgery project — meeting Bury Council's validation requirements and providing the design team and construction team with clear, detailed arboricultural guidance for every stage of the development. All six Category B trees on the site were retained within the scheme, protected by a comprehensive suite of tree protection measures specified in detail in the Tree Protection Plan and Arboricultural Method Statement. The removal of the low-quality Category C groups required to accommodate the building footprint was clearly justified in the Arboricultural Impact Assessment — providing the planning authority with the evidence needed to assess the application with confidence.

This project demonstrates Urban Tree Management's experience in delivering BS5837 arboricultural planning packages for healthcare development projects — working closely with NHS client teams and their architects to produce technically robust, clearly presented arboricultural documentation that supports successful planning outcomes for primary care and other healthcare infrastructure schemes across Greater Manchester and the wider North West.

BS5837 Tree Surveys for Healthcare Development — Greater Manchester, Lancashire & Cheshire

Urban Tree Management provides full BS5837 arboricultural planning packages for NHS development projects, GP surgeries, care homes, and other healthcare infrastructure schemes across the North West — delivering technically robust, clearly presented arboricultural documentation that meets local planning authority requirements and supports successful planning outcomes.

Get in contact with our highly experienced and personable team of arboriculturists today, to discuss your requirements and to obtain your zero obligation quotation