Landscaping and trees on new developments

Landscaping for new developments

When planning consent is granted for a new development, we often make soft landscaping - the planting of new trees, hedges and shrubs - a condition of the consent.

To discharge a landscaping condition you need to provide us with the following:

  • a plan showing the position of the new trees, hedges and shrubs to be planted
  • a list giving the species, quantity and sizes of the trees and shrubs to be planted
  • the maintenance regime that will be carried out whilst the planting is establishing

Designing a landscape scheme 

A landscape architect can design your landscaping scheme for you, liaise with the council on your behalf and engage contactors to implement the final design and maintain the landscaping until it is established.

Some landscaping schemes, such as tree planting in paving, require specialist tree pit design. Your landscape architect or our arboricultural officers can give you more advice.

Please remember to take account of the proposed position of new trees when planning the route of underground services or the positioning of lights and CCTV cameras.

Specifying trees and shrubs

The size of shrubs is usually given as the size of the pots they are supplied in, for example five litres.

The size of trees may be given as their trunk girth, for example 14-16cms.

We recommend that container grown trees are used in the district because we have found that they establish more successfully than bare root or root-balled trees. They are also easier to transport and handle.