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Pre-commencement and construction planning

Arboricultural Method Statement Surrey

Construction instructions for the parts of the build that need to happen carefully around retained trees.

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What this document is for

Arboricultural Method Statement for Surrey projects

An Arboricultural Method Statement moves the project from “this can be built” to “this is how it will be built without avoidable tree damage”. It is commonly required by planning condition where excavation, access, surfacing, drainage, services or other construction activity comes close to retained trees.

The document should be practical enough for a contractor to follow. It can define fencing, site set-up, no-dig construction, hand excavation, root-sensitive working, service installation, sequencing, supervision and the actions to take if unexpected roots or site conditions are encountered.

If permission has already been granted, send the decision notice, approved drawings and the exact condition wording. That lets the method statement respond to what has actually been approved rather than reproducing generic BS5837 guidance.

What you receive

The exact output is matched to the project, but the core deliverables normally include the items below. If the council has supplied its own wording, that request is reviewed first so the proposal is built around the live requirement.

Site-specific construction methodology
Protection and exclusion requirements
Sequence for sensitive works
Guidance for excavation, surfacing and services
Supervision or inspection hold points
Cross-reference to the Tree Protection Plan

Technical detail

What makes the work useful to planning and design teams.

The aim is not to produce a long report for its own sake. The information should answer the project question clearly and remain consistent with the drawings being used.

Methods must fit the approved design

An AMS should use the approved layout and condition wording. If the contractor is working from a different drawing, the document can quickly become ineffective.

Sensitive excavation

Where excavation occurs near roots, the method can define controlled approaches, supervision and how discovered roots should be treated.

Access and storage

Vehicle routes, compounds, material storage and plant movement can be just as damaging as excavation. The method statement can set boundaries around these operations.

A document for site use

The best AMS is readable by the people building the project, not only the person discharging the planning condition.

Before the document is issued

Quality control that keeps the information usable.

An AMS needs to be usable on site. Before issue, we look for vague instructions that a contractor could interpret in several different ways and replace them with project-specific controls where the information allows. The sequence of excavation, access, fencing, ground protection and specialist operations should be understandable without having to reverse-engineer the planning report.

Drawing references matter here as much as wording. If the construction layout has moved since planning, the method statement should not quietly rely on a superseded plan. Coordination before issue is often what separates a document that merely discharges a condition from one that actually protects trees during the build.

Finally, the document should make the next decision obvious. If another BS5837 stage is needed, it should be clear why and when. If the current document completes the immediate requirement, the client should not be pushed into commissioning extra work simply because it exists on a service list.

Where it fits in the BS5837 sequence

Survey first. Then use the next document only when the project is ready for it.

Most development projects near trees follow a recognisable sequence: establish the tree resource, map the constraints, assess the actual proposal, then set out the protection and construction methods needed to deliver it. Not every small project needs every document, and not every document should be commissioned at the same time.

If you are still designing, early survey and constraints information may be the most valuable spend. If you already have a stable layout, the impact assessment becomes more relevant. If planning permission is in place, the focus often moves to AMS, TPP and supervision. The quote should reflect the stage you are actually at.

01SurveyRecord the trees and establish the evidence base.
02ConstraintsMap crowns and RPAs for design.
03AssessmentTest the live proposal against the tree resource.
04Construction detailSet out protection, methods and supervision.

Common project situations

When clients normally ask for Arboricultural Method Statement.

If your situation is not listed, send the actual request. The site and planning stage are more important than matching a generic example.

Pre-commencement tree condition

No-dig surfacing or specialist foundation detail

Service trench or drainage route near retained trees

Council requires arboricultural supervision during sensitive work

Information that speeds up the quote

Show us the project as it exists today.

Send the site address, current architectural drawing, topographical survey if available, and the exact wording from the council, tree officer, Building Control or project consultant. Include any earlier tree survey or report too. Existing information may still be useful and should be checked before repeat work is recommended.

If there is a submission date, condition-discharge deadline or construction start date, include that at the beginning. Programme can affect what needs to happen first.

Questions

Arboricultural Method Statement FAQs

These are general planning answers. Your council condition or validation request may be more specific.

When is an AMS normally required?

Often after permission where a condition asks for detailed construction methods and tree protection measures before work starts.

Is the AMS the same as a TPP?

No. The AMS is the written method; the Tree Protection Plan is the spatial drawing showing protection and working areas.

Can it cover drainage and services?

Yes, where those works can affect retained trees.

Who should read the AMS?

The site manager and relevant contractors should understand the approved methods before the affected work starts.

What if conditions on site differ from the drawing?

Sensitive work should be reviewed before an improvised change creates tree damage or a planning-compliance issue.

Arboricultural Method Statement · Surrey

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