Policy information sourced from the Aylesbury Local Plan

NE8 Trees, hedgerows and woodlands

Development should seek to enhance and expand Aylesbury Vale’s tree and woodland resource, including native black poplars.

Where trees within or adjacent to a site could be affected by development, a full tree survey and arboricultural impact assessment to BS 5837 (as replaced) will be required as part of the planning application. The implementation of any protective measures it identifies will be secured by the use of planning conditions.

Development that would lead to an individual or cumulative significant adverse impact on ancient woodland or ancient trees will be refused unless exceptional circumstances can be demonstrated that the impacts to the site are clearly outweighed by the benefits of the development.

Development that would result in the unacceptable loss of, or damage to, or threaten the continued well-being of any trees, hedgerows, community orchards, veteran trees or woodland which make an important contribution to the character and amenities of the area will be resisted. Where the loss of trees is considered acceptable, adequate replacement provision will be required that use species that are in sympathy with the character of the existing tree species in the locality and the site.

Where species-rich native hedgerow (as commonly found on agricultural land) loss is unavoidable the developer must compensate for this by planting native species-rich hedgerow, which should result in a net gain of native hedgerow on the development site.

Developers should aspire to retain a 10m (with a minimum of 5m) natural buffer around retained and planted native hedgerows (100m with a minimum 25 m natural buffer around woodlands) for the benefit of wildlife, incorporating a dark corridor with no lighting.

Development must provide buffers to Ancient Woodland and should provide additional planting to join up fragmented areas of woodland as part of the development’s GI. Buffers should allow the maximum space proportionate to the development, and would generally be expected to be a minimum of 50m between the ancient woodland and any built development or grey infrastructure. Within the buffer, native trees may be planted along with other ecology features to secure net gains in biodiversity and/or landscape mitigation unless the achievement of this would be contrary to other policies in the plan.

Policy information sourced from the Aylesbury Local Plan