EIR - Climate Change Emergency [Jan 2024]

Your request 

1. Do you have a full-time officer solely dedicated to managing your declared climate and/or nature emergency? Yes/No
2. Does your policy/strategy specify that some or all planning applications that could affect trees must include a tree canopy cover assessment as supporting information? Yes/No
3. Do you have a professional tree officer dedicated to advise on planning applications that could affect existing trees? Yes/No
4. Do you have standard planning conditions that specifically require that the supply, planting, and maintenance of new trees must be complaint with BS 8545 (2014) Trees: from nursery to independence in the landscape – Recommendations? Yes/No

Our response

1. Yes, within the GLA's Environment Unit there is a Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation team of 16 staff dedicated to working with stakeholders to develop and implement solutions to address London’s climate emergency. The GLA is also the Responsible Authority for London’s Local Nature Recovery Strategy and have staff within my Green Infrastructure team dedicated to working with stakeholders to develop the strategy.
2. Yes, our policy does specify that planning applications that could affect trees must include a tree canopy cover assessment. Policy G7C in my London Plan states that: Development proposals should ensure that, wherever possible, existing trees of value are retained. If planning permission is granted that necessitates the removal of trees there should be adequate replacement based on the existing value of the benefits of the trees removed, determined by, for example, i-tree or CAVAT or another appropriate valuation system. The planting of additional trees should generally be included in new developments – particularly large-canopied species which provide a wider range of benefits because of the larger surface area of their canopy
3. No, the GLA does not have a professional tree officer dedicated to advising on planning applications that could affect existing trees. However, the GLA seeks technical advice from experts on a range of planning issues, including arboriculture. In addition, the Mayor’s Environment Unit has a team dedicated to increasing London’s tree canopy coverage in line with his manifesto commitment, and London Environment Strategy target to increase London’s tree canopy cover by 10% by 2050.
4. No, the GLA does not have standard planning conditions that specifically require that the supply, planting, and maintenance of new trees must be compliant with BS 8545 (2014). However, the London Plan states that trees should be designed into developments from the outset to maximise tree planting opportunities and optimise their establishment and growth. This includes selecting appropriate species for the site conditions and climate and providing tree pits that are the correct depth to allow trees to meet proposed levels of growth and maturity. Developers are required to include these details as part of their detailed landscaping plans, and to support their Urban Greening Factor (UGF) and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) calculations. Developers should also provide management and maintenance proposals setting out the approach to ongoing management of trees and other green infrastructure which can be secured through conditions or planning obligations. Local Planning Authorities have powers of enforcement where developers do not carry out work in accordance with approved plans. To support the commitment to increasing London’s tree canopy cover, the Mayor has invested almost £8m to support boroughs, community groups, schools, and charities to plant more than half a million trees since 2016 with more still to come this winter.