The Hills Shire Council Arborist Reports
Hills Shire DA, tree removal or tree safety concern? Get a council-ready arborist report.
Arbor Express prepares council-ready arborist reports across The Hills Shire for Development Applications, Tree Management Applications and health and safety tree assessments, accepted by The Hills Shire Council and the NSW Planning Portal.
- Development Applications
- Health and Safety Tree Assessments
- Tree Removal Reports
Expert Arborist Reports Across The Hills Shire
Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills, Bella Vista, Kellyville and every other suburb across The Hills Shire.
The Hills Shire combines established suburbs across Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills with rapidly growing precincts around Bella Vista, Kellyville and the North Kellyville and Box Hill growth areas.
Extensions, subdivisions and construction near retained trees mean an arborist report is often needed before a Development Application or Tree Management Application can proceed.
Which Arborist Report Do You Need?
The Hills Shire Council Wards We Service
The Hills Shire Council is divided into four wards - Central Ward, East Ward, North Ward and West Ward. Select your ward below for local information about AQF Level 5 Arborist Reports, Development Applications, tree removal assessments and construction near protected trees. Ward boundary note: Castle Hill, Baulkham Hills and Glenhaven are divided between wards. Council publishes its ward boundary as a map, so properties near ward boundaries should be checked against the current Council ward map. Other Shire localities such as Winston Hills, Sackville North, Lower Portland and Carlingford should also be checked.
Central Ward
Established and growing residential areas around Kellyville and Beaumont Hills. Ongoing residential development and redevelopment around Kellyville, North Kellyville and Beaumont Hills regularly require Development Arborist Reports, Tree Removal Reports and construction-stage tree protection advice.
- Kellyville
- North Kellyville
- Beaumont Hills
- Parts of Glenhaven
East Ward
Established residential suburbs and redevelopment around Castle Hill and West Pennant Hills. Established tree canopy, redevelopment pressure and continued growth around Castle Hill, West Pennant Hills and Baulkham Hills frequently require Arborist Reports to support Development Applications, tree removal applications and retained-tree protection.
- Parts of Castle Hill
- West Pennant Hills
- Baulkham Hills
- North Rocks
North Ward
Semi-rural and rural land spanning the majority of the Shire's land area. Rural and semi-rural properties across North Ward commonly involve larger lots, native vegetation and bushland interfaces, which regularly require Arboricultural Impact Assessments, biodiversity-related advice and Tree Removal Reports for both residential and rural development.
- Annangrove
- Kenthurst
- Dural
- Middle Dural
- Glenorie
- Cattai
- Maroota
- South Maroota
- Nelson
- Maraylya
- Wisemans Ferry area
- And parts of Castle Hill
- Glenhaven
West Ward
Sydney's fast-growing residential and commercial growth corridor. Rapid residential and commercial development across Bella Vista, Norwest, Rouse Hill and the Box Hill growth area frequently requires Development Arborist Reports, Tree Protection Plans and Project Arborist services for staged, large-scale construction.
- Bella Vista
- Kellyville (remainder)
- Norwest
- Rouse Hill
- Box Hill
- Gables
- Parts of Baulkham Hills
Our Hills Shire Arborist Services
Extensions, subdivisions and knockdown rebuilds are the most common reasons Hills Shire property owners need a DA arborist report, with suburbs such as Glenhaven and Dural often requiring assessment of mature garden and rural-residential trees before renovations or new dwellings.
DA Arborist Reports (AIA)
Arboricultural Impact Assessments determining the impact of your proposed development on surrounding and adjacent trees, prepared in accordance with AS 4970 for Council lodgement.
Arboricultural Impact AssessmentsHealth and Safety Tree Assessments
Reports for removal or major pruning on health and safety grounds, prepared using QTRA and TRAQ methodologies, with Resistograph® decay testing for internal decay and cavity analysis.
Tree health and risk assessmentTree Management and Protection Plans
Tree Management Plan reports to meet Council construction requirements, including project arborist services where required, and Tree Protection Plans that minimise construction impact on retained trees. Specialist services include tree root investigation and mapping using AirSpade, tree surveys and full ecology, flora and fauna reporting.
Tree Protection PlansTree Removal and Pruning Reports
Dangerous tree removal reports and standard removal or major pruning reports, with fast-track service available and all arrangements handled for you.
Tree removal reportsWhy Choose Arbor Express in The Hills Shire?
32+ years of dedicated arborist report consultancy and tree care services across The Hills Shire, backed by 5-star Google reviews.
- AQF Level 5 consulting arborists, QTRA and TRAQ qualified
- 32+ years of arboricultural consulting experience
- Reports prepared in accordance with AS 4970 and AS 4373
- Development Application, health and safety and tree removal specialists
- Fast-track reporting for urgent projects and dangerous trees
- Local knowledge of The Hills Shire Council planning requirements
Need a Report Quickly?
Fast-track reporting is available for urgent Development Application deadlines. Call us to discuss your timeframe.
0494 077 630Suburbs We Service Across The Hills Shire
Our arborist reports are available throughout The Hills Shire, from established residential areas around Castle Hill and Baulkham Hills to Bella Vista, Kellyville, North Kellyville and Box Hill, as well as surrounding suburbs and rural-residential areas across the local government area.
We also regularly assist with projects in established areas such as Glenhaven and Dural, where renovations, new dwellings and construction near mature trees may require arboricultural assessment as part of the approval process.
The Hills Shire Council Tree Rules
The State Environmental Planning Policy (Biodiversity and Conservation) 2021 provides the authority for tree preservation and removal across The Hills Shire, alongside Council's own Tree Preservation Order and Tree Management Guidelines for Private Trees. Understanding these requirements early helps avoid delays and keeps your project compliant.
- Consent is required to prune a tree by more than 10%, remove any tree not exempted from the Tree Preservation Order, or substantially alter the soil level within 3 metres of a tree's trunk.
- Consent is not required to remove a declared priority weed or a tree grown for its fruit.
- Size and species thresholds: protection depends on species, location and exemptions set out in the Tree Preservation Order and Tree Management Guidelines, so an on-site assessment is often the most reliable way to confirm whether approval is required.
- Applications: a Tree Management Application requests Council assessment for removal, or for pruning more than 10%, generally following a site inspection by Council officers.
- Native vegetation: a separate Native Vegetation Clearing Application is required for minor works clearing native vegetation not already covered by a Development Consent or NSW Rural Fire Service Hazard Reduction Certificate.
- 10/50 Code: the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice applies to parts of the Shire. Eligibility should be confirmed for your property.
- Penalties: removing, damaging or lopping a tree without Council's consent may result in a maximum fine of up to $1,100,000.
- Development and tree protection: where development affects retained trees, Council may require an arborist report, Arboricultural Impact Assessment, Tree Protection Plan prepared in accordance with AS 4970, and project arborist inspections during construction.
Related Services
Nearby Areas We Service
Hills Shire Arborist Report FAQs
Consent isn't required to remove a declared priority weed or a tree grown for its fruit. Beyond these two exemptions, whether your tree is exempt depends on Council's specific criteria in the Tree Preservation Order. We can assess your tree on-site and confirm.
In most cases, yes. Consent is generally required to remove any tree not specifically exempted, to prune a tree by more than 10%, or to substantially alter the soil level within 3 metres of a tree's trunk.
Fast-track reporting is available for urgent and hazardous tree assessments, subject to availability.
You may be liable for a maximum fine of up to $1,100,000. If your tree is later found to be exempt, a written request for re-inspection can be supported by a report from a suitably qualified AQF Level 5 arborist, plumber or structural engineer.
Yes. A separate Native Vegetation Clearing Application applies to minor works clearing native vegetation that isn't already covered by a Development Consent or NSW Rural Fire Service Hazard Reduction Certificate. Parts of the Shire may also fall within the 10/50 Vegetation Clearing Code of Practice.
Yes. We prepare DA arborist reports at design stage, Tree Protection Plans after approval, and project arborist inspections through construction for residential and commercial projects across The Hills Shire.
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