Trees, Woodland and Hedges Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) consultation

Background

The County Durham Plan (CDP) was adopted in October 2020. It provides a framework for new housing developments and helps to assess planning applications up to 2035. This draft SPD supports the CDP by explaining how we will deal with planning applications that affect trees, woodlands and hedges.

What the SPD includes

The SPD includes guidance on:

• tree surveys
• Arboricultural Impact Assessments
• protecting ancient and veteran trees and ancient woodland
• protecting trees and hedges of high landscape, the value of biodiversity eg how they can help to reduce soil erosion
• protecting and integrating existing trees, woodlands or hedges into development
• compensating for any loss of trees, woodlands or hedges
• planting new trees, woodlands or hedges, including street trees
• Tree Preservation Orders and trees in Conservation Areas
• moving (translocating) hedges to - keep their benefits by moving them to a new location
• maintenance and management of trees and hedges

Read the SPD and register to comment on it.

Have your say

What happens next

Responses to the consultation will be considered in drafting the Trees, Woodland and Hedges SPD. We will then consult again in Autumn 2023. Any final amendments to the document will be considered and justified before completion and approval. Following that consultation, any final amendments to the document will be considered and justified before completion and approval. Once approved, the SPD will be adopted and will be used to assess planning applications.