Hunters Hill North Ward DA & Tree Removal Reports

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Hunters Hill Council has two official electoral wards: North Ward and South Ward.

North Ward contains established residential areas with mature urban canopy and important bushland and biodiversity interfaces. In the northern part of the municipality, vegetation associated with Buffalo Creek Reserve and Boronia Park can bring additional arboricultural considerations into tree removal and development assessment.

On established properties, the tree issue is often not simply whether a tree is inside the proposed building footprint. Mature trees on the subject property, adjoining land or Council land can influence extensions, new dwellings, pools, driveways, retaining walls, drainage and service trenches.

For development work, the starting point is to identify which trees may be affected, calculate the relevant Tree Protection Zones and Structural Root Zones, and determine whether the proposed impacts can be managed.

For tree removal, the assessment should document the tree’s condition, defects, health, structure, retention value and the evidence relevant to the proposed removal.

Development Character & Tree Issues in North Ward

North Ward combines established garden-suburb development with sites close to bushland, reserves and mature native vegetation. Common arboricultural issues can include:

Early assessment is particularly valuable on constrained sites. Moving a footing, wall, driveway or service alignment before a DA is lodged can be much easier than redesigning after tree impacts have been identified.

Hunters Hill Council’s tree controls do more than protect trees by size.

Council identifies bushland or individual plants that are bushland remnants on properties adjoining Buffalo Creek Reserve or Boronia Park Reserve as prescribed vegetation. Council also identifies vegetation on land mapped as having biodiversity or high biodiversity significance, heritage-listed trees and trees on the Significant Tree Register.

For a North Ward property near these environments, tree assessment may therefore involve the vegetation context as well as the dimensions of an individual tree.

Where development or proposed removal could affect this vegetation, the applicable Council controls should be checked before clearing, excavation or design decisions are made.

DA Arborist Report / Arboricultural Impact Assessment

For new homes, extensions, pools, retaining walls, driveways, subdivision or other development where existing trees may be affected.

Tree Removal Report

For evidence-based assessment where removal is proposed because of tree condition, structural defects, decline, safety concerns or other arboricultural reasons.

Health & Safety Tree Assessment

For owners concerned about a tree’s condition, defects, failure potential or risk to people and property.

Tree Root Investigation & Mapping

Where the exact location of significant roots needs to be established before excavation, footing design, retaining walls, driveways or services are finalised.

Tree Protection Plan

Where retained trees require construction-stage protection measures.

Project Arborist

For inspections, supervision, hold points and compliance reporting required during construction.

Tree Removal Reports — Hunters Hill North Ward

A tree that looks unsafe does not automatically need to be removed, and visible defects do not always show the full structural condition of the tree. A Level 5 Tree Removal Report can assess:

Where required, advanced investigation can supplement the visual assessment. Arbor Express has access to diagnostic and investigative methods such as Resistograph testing, aerial assessment and non-destructive root investigation where the circumstances justify them. The purpose is to provide Council with clear arboricultural evidence: not simply to recommend removal.

Hunters Hill Council Tree Approval Pathway

Hunters Hill Council protects “prescribed vegetation” under its planning controls. Council currently identifies prescribed vegetation to include:

The approval pathway depends on the tree and property. Council directs ordinary protected-tree pruning or removal to the Tree Permit pathway unless an exemption applies. A Tree DA is required for removal of a significant or heritage-listed tree, or prescribed vegetation within a heritage-listed property or heritage conservation area. Where a tree is subject to a current Development Application, the development pathway also needs to be considered. Official Council sources should be checked for the individual property before work proceeds. [Hunters Hill Council: Prescribed Vegetation] [Hunters Hill Council: Tree Permits] [Hunters Hill Council: Tree DAs]

DA Arborist Reports & Arboricultural Impact Assessments

For development, an Arboricultural Impact Assessment considers the relationship between the proposed works and existing trees. Depending on the site, the assessment can address:

Hunters Hill Council’s DCP provides for technical arboricultural reports prepared by an AQF Level 5 Arborist in relevant circumstances.

A calculated TPZ tells the design team where root impacts need to be considered. It does not show the exact location of individual roots.

Where a proposed footing, pool, retaining wall, driveway or service trench depends on knowing where significant roots occur, non-destructive root investigation can provide site-specific evidence.

This can help determine whether the design can proceed, whether construction methodology should change or whether the layout should be adjusted before lodgement.

[Tree Root Investigation & Mapping →]

Where trees are retained through development, protection may continue beyond the DA assessment.

Tree Protection Plans can specify fencing, exclusion zones, ground protection, access controls, excavation methodology, root-sensitive construction and arborist inspection requirements.

Where Development Consent requires ongoing arboricultural involvement, Arbor Express can provide Project Arborist services for pre-construction inspections, hold points, excavation supervision, TPZ works, monitoring and compliance documentation.

[Tree Protection Plans →] [Project Arborist Services →]

Replacement planting should be treated according to the conditions applying to the individual Tree Permit, Tree DA or Development Consent.

Do not assume a universal replacement ratio for every Hunters Hill property. The applicable approval and conditions should be checked for the specific site.

Also Servicing Hunters Hill Council

• Hunters Hill Council (all wards) →
• Hunters Hill South Ward →

Related Services

• DA Tree Impact Assessment →
• Tree Removal Reports →
• Tree Risk Assessment →
• Tree Protection Plans →
• Tree Root Investigation →