[5.3] Consideration at Start of Design Process The Cork City Development Plan (Para. 11.224) establishes that mature trees and hedgerows shall be identified at the initial stages of the planning process and used to guide site layout. To make these considerations consistent and efficient in the development process, Cork City Council will require Tree Surveys and subsequent assessment of existing trees to be prepared in accordance with British Standard 5837: 2012 ‘Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction– Recommendations’ as prepared by a suitably qualified and competent arborist. This will apply both to City Council projects and in respect of the assessment of planning applications. Guidance Notes to aid implementation will also be developed. INTERNAL POLICY 5: Cork City Council will consider trees at the initial stages of design by following Tree Survey and assessment standards set out in British Standard 5837: 2012 ‘Trees in relation to design, demolition and construction– Recommendations’ (or any subsequent updates) in respect of the design of Part 8 6 development proposals, as prepared by a suitably qualified and competent arborist. The same standard will also be incorporated into the assessment of private development proposals through the Development Management process.
ACTION 10. Develop a guidance note related to tree and hedgerow surveys and the integration of trees and hedgerows into development proposals.
[5.4] Mitigation for Unavoidable Removal In cases where the removal of trees is permitted to facilitate necessary building/construction works, replacement planting may need to occur offsite. To ensure effective replacement planting, details of a Tree Replacement Standard will be prepared.
INTERNAL POLICY 6: Where trees are removed by Cork City Council replacement trees will be planted to mitigate the ecosystem service value that has been lost.
ACTION 11. Develop a Tree Replacement standard to guide mitigation planting, including a tree valuation method for compensatory / replacement planting such as Cavat or iTree.
ACTION 12. Develop mitigation guidance in respect of the development management process.
[5.5] Protection of Trees During Construction Works Protection of existing trees and hedgerows during the construction process is a crucial part of the development process; a tree that has taken many decades to reach maturity can be damaged irreparably in a few minutes through poor construction practice. Section 11.124 of the Cork City Development Plan establishes that a bond or cash lodgement may be required to ensure the protection of trees until a development has been satisfactorily completed. To ensure adequate tree protection during construction works, tree protection methods outlined in BS 5837:2012 will be required; guidance notes to aid implementation will also be developed.
6 ‘Part 8’ is a development carried out by the Local Authority (Cork City Council). This is a reference to Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001 (as amended) which sets out the procedure for carrying out such developments.
[ Retaining Existing Trees ]
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