Canopy Cover Assessment — BS5837 & Planning
Urban Tree Management provides canopy cover assessments for planning applications across Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cheshire, and the wider North West — using our own canopy cover model built to the methodology set out in the new draft BS5837.
As canopy cover assessment moves towards becoming a standard requirement on all development sites, Urban Tree Management is already ahead of the curve — delivering canopy cover assessments as part of our BS5837 planning packages and as standalone assessments where specifically requested by the local planning authority.
What is a Canopy Cover Assessment?
A canopy cover assessment quantifies the existing tree canopy on a development site and models how that canopy will change over time — both with and without the proposed development. It shows the existing baseline canopy today, how retained trees are projected to grow over the next 10, 20, and 30 years, the canopy lost through tree removals, the new canopy established through replacement planting, and the breakeven point at which new canopy growth equals and then exceeds the canopy lost.
This gives planning officers a clear, evidence-based picture of the long-term canopy trajectory of the site — moving the conversation away from the binary question of whether trees are simply being lost or retained, and towards the measurable future canopy the development will deliver.
When Do You Need One?
Canopy cover assessment is currently required where specifically requested by the local planning authority, and a growing number of authorities across England now ask for it.
Oxford City Council requires it as standard on applications involving tree loss. Colchester's adopted Local Plan goes further — a canopy cover assessment is required on all major applications, and where trees are felled the scheme must deliver at least the existing canopy cover plus a further 10%. East Cambridgeshire similarly requires canopy cover information with applications affecting trees.
No North West authority currently requires it as standard, but that is likely to change once the revised BS5837 publishes — and some developers are choosing to include it now to strengthen an application where tree loss is a point of contention.
Under the new draft BS5837, canopy cover assessment is proposed to become a standard requirement on development sites. We can deliver the assessment as part of your BS5837 planning package in the same site visit — at no additional mobilisation cost.
We recommend discussing canopy cover requirements with your local planning authority at pre-application stage, and we are happy to advise before you commit to the cost.
New Draft BS5837 — Canopy Cover Becoming Standard
Under the new draft BS5837 the Tree Constraints Plan is proposed to be replaced by the Arboricultural Constraints and Opportunities Plan — ACOP — which would illustrate projected future canopy growth rather than existing constraints alone. Arboricultural Impact Reports are proposed to demonstrate the canopy position over a long-term assessment period, making canopy cover assessment a standard part of the submission rather than something requested case by case.
Urban Tree Management is already operating to this approach — our ACOP plans show projected canopy at 10, 20, and 30 year horizons, and our impact reports already incorporate the net canopy analysis the draft anticipates. When the new standard is published, our clients will not need to change anything.
How Our Canopy Cover Model Works
Our canopy cover assessment is built on species-specific growth rates, allowing us to project the future canopy of every retained and newly planted tree with confidence. For each tree we model the current canopy area, the projected canopy at 10, 20, and 30 years, and the contribution of proposed replacement planting at each horizon.
The breakeven point — where new and growing canopy replaces the canopy lost — is identified and clearly presented, and net gain or loss is shown at each stage. Outputs are produced in georeferenced DXF format compatible with AutoCAD, BricsCAD, and QCAD, integrating directly with the design team's drawing set.
Integrated With Your BS5837 Package
Whether your LPA has specifically requested a canopy cover assessment or you want to get ahead of the new draft BS5837 requirement, we can deliver a fully integrated canopy cover assessment as part of your BS5837 planning package — captured on the same site visit, at no additional mobilisation cost.
For landscape architects and ecological consultants working to canopy cover requirements, our assessments provide the projected canopy data needed to demonstrate compliance.
FAQ
What is a canopy cover assessment?
It quantifies the existing tree canopy on a site and models how that canopy will change over 10, 20, and 30 years — accounting for tree removals, retained tree growth, and new planting — to show the long-term canopy trajectory of the development.
Do I need a canopy cover assessment for my planning application?
Currently only where your local planning authority specifically requests it, though a growing number of authorities now do. Under the new draft BS5837 it is proposed to become standard on development sites. We recommend checking with your LPA at pre-application stage.
Can you deliver it as part of my BS5837 survey?
Yes — we capture the canopy data on the same site visit as your BS5837 survey, at no additional mobilisation cost, and deliver an integrated planning package.
What is an ACOP?
The Arboricultural Constraints and Opportunities Plan — proposed under the new draft BS5837 as the replacement for the Tree Constraints Plan. It would show existing constraints as now, plus projected future canopy growth and opportunities for retention and new planting. We already produce plans to this approach.
Canopy Cover Assessments & BS5837 Planning Packages — Greater Manchester, Lancashire & Cheshire
Whether your LPA has specifically requested a canopy cover assessment or you want to get ahead of the new draft BS5837 requirement, Urban Tree Management can deliver a fully integrated canopy cover assessment as part of your BS5837 planning package.
Get in contact with our highly experienced and personable team of arboricultural consultants today, to discuss your requirements and to obtain your zero obligation quotation.
