Tree Surgery in Antrim

Although we advocate non-removal of trees, but we also know for a fact that this isn’t always possible especially when it involves safety challenges or damage to property. If you’re looking to remove a tree on your property, then you should probably confirm whether or not you’d require a council approval.

In the UK, if the tree you want removed has a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) placed on it, then before you’ll be able to perform any sort of work to the tree ( be it cutting a branch or felling/ removing the tree), you must obtain a permission from the council.

The Tree Preservation Order is created by local planning authorities such as a district, borough or national park with the aim of providing adequate protection to trees which provide amenity values to the public. Any act to the TPO protected tree such as cutting down, topping, lopping, uprooting or wilful damage considered a criminal offence. In other words, if the tree on your property is visible and is enjoyed by the public then there’s a possibility that there’s a TPO placed on it. To confirm whether or not this is the case, you can reach out to your local council’s tree officer for more information.

You will need to fill out an application form and submit to your local authority in order to request permission of remove a tree. In the event whereby you happen to reside in a Conservation Area, the same rules applies as TPO-placed trees but you don’t necessarily need to have TPO placed on them.

If the tree is in your garden without a TPO placed on it and you do not live in a Conservation Area, then you would not need to apply for permission to have it removed.

Many tree surgeons offer a specialist service for trees that cannot be easily felled via a simple cut. Sectional dismantling is used which involves making several cuts to slice the tree into small sections which can be brought back to the ground safely. Using this method will allow tree surgeons to fell trees that pose risks to nearby buildings in a safe manner.

In many instances tree surgery work can still be carried out on trees that are protected by Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs). Tree surgeons will be able to file the needed forms with the local authority to arrange such work, and advise you throughout the entire process.

Do you have a tree you want to remove in your yard or property? Then you’d most likely be curious to know how much it would cost to have it removed. However, when it comes to tree removal services, there’s no precise answer to how much a professional tree surgeon will charge as each tree is unique and so the price would be charged based on the unique features of the tree in question.

There are a lot of factors that determines the price a professional tree surgeon will charge to remove a tree but it generally starts at £80 to £100 including VAT and this price increases with the size as well as the job’s complexity. Here are some influencing factors:

• The Tree’s Height. A taller tree will generally be more difficult to remove than a shorter one. A good equipment and extra care will also be needed to complete the task. As a result, you’d expect a taller tree to be more expensive.

• Tree Overhang. Due to trees overhanging some buildings, extra care most be taken to ensure the protection of nearby buildings and properties.

• Tree Accessibility. When the tree is easily accessible, no much work is required. If not, there’ll be a need to carry out some extra work to ensure easy access without any damages.

• Public Consideration. In the event whereby the tree is near a path or road, there’ll be a need to obtain a permission to close off some sections of the path or road.

• Tree Disposal. If you need the trees disposed from the site, then the service will also be include in the total price.

Generally on the average, local tree surgeons will charge about £500 to £650 for a day’s work. But this can also be higher or lower depending on your location.