Services we offer
We offer a full range of arboricultural consultancy services, from reports to support planning applications to provision of expert witness services to claimants and defendants. We do not carry out any tree surgery, and so you can be sure that the advice we offer is impartial.
Planning
Martin Dobson Associates provide tree survey reports – including Arboricultural Impact Assessments (AIA), Arboricultural Method Statements (AMS) and Tree Protection Plans – for planning applications where trees are close to proposed developments. Following British Standard 5837:2012, we assess the trees on site, record their size and quality, and identify which should be retained. From this, we produce the necessary AIA and AMS to show how trees will be protected during design, demolition and construction.
We also offer an appeals service for rejected applications.
BS5837 Surveys
The British Standard BS5837 recommends that trees should be considered as part of a planning application for development. Most local authorities have made tree surveys a compulsory requirement.
Method Statements
Once a tree survey has been completed an arboricultural method statement will give details of which trees should be protected and how they are going to be protected.
Appeals
If an application has been rejected on the grounds of tree issues it is often possible to take the application to appeal if there are good grounds to do so.
Tree Preservation Orders
Dr Martin Dobson acted as an external consultant to a local authority for seven years dealing with all tree preservation order and conservation area applications together with surveying of trees and the making of tree preservation orders.
He therefore has first hand experience of the planning process and can assist in the submission of applications to carry out work to protected trees or appeal against decisions where permission has been refused.
About Tree Preservation Orders
Tree preservation orders are made to prevent the unnecessary loss of public amenity afforded by trees. However, sometimes work to trees becomes necessary due to issues of safety, shading etc. In these circumstances applications can be made to the local authority for appropriate tree work.
Subsidence
Tree related building subsidence occurs when shrinkable clay below foundations becomes dried out by tree roots. Cracks open up as the building loses support from the underlying clay and these progress through the summer. Cracks tend to close during the winter months when soil moisture is replenished.
Martin Dobson Associates are often instructed by loss adjusters in the early stages of subsidence in order to determine whether trees are involved and if so what action should be taken to remove the influence of the offending vegetation.
Instructions are also taken from private individuals who have been notified that their trees are causing damage to a neighbour’s property.
Martin Dobson Associates represent both defendants and claimants where claims for tree root nuisance are made.
Dr Martin Dobson presents a day training seminar for the Arboricultural Association entitled ‘Getting to Grips with Subsidence’ and a follow-on one day workshop, also for the AA. He runs a course on subsidence for MBL Seminars (https://www.mblseminars.com/Outline/Trees-and-Building-Subsidence—The-Key-Issues/7829/) and ad-hoc courses for local authorities, solicitors and barristers.
Subsidence Example
Cracking in this building occurred at the junction of the main front wall and front bay. A tree was located in the pavement to the front and was implicated as the cause through moisture withdrawal from the shrinkable clay below the shallow foundations.
Expert Witness
Dr Martin Dobson has been acting as an expert witness since 1995 and has considerable experience having completed hundreds of expert reports on boundary disputes involving trees, personal injury and property damage caused by hazardous trees and tree-related building subsidence. He has represented clients in the County Court, High Court, Upper Tribunal Lands Chamber and in mediations.
Example cases which were seen through to a judgement are given below:
Carpenter v Jennings
Khan v London Borough of Harrow and Kane
Malewski v London Borough of Ealing
Marson v Turnpike Hill Trust
Raphael v London Borough of Brent
Sutherland Housing Association v John Berrigan Taplin
Client List
Lawrence Graham
Lyons Davidson
Memery Crystal
Plexus-Law
Reynolds Porter Chamberlain
RSA Legal
Watmores
DLA
DMH
E.L. Murphy and Co.
Eversheds
Greenwoods
Hextall Erskine
Kennedys
Badhams Thompson
Badhams – Law
Barlow Lyde and Gilbert
Beachcroft
Berrymans Lace Mawer
Brignalls
Davies Lavery
Tree Safety Inspections
Subsidence Example
Cracking in this building occurred at the junction of the main front wall and front bay. A tree was located in the pavement to the front and was implicated as the cause through moisture withdrawal from the shrinkable clay below the shallow foundations.
Trees are usually safe structures. But occasionally they can cause damage or injury as a result of a branch breaking or the tree uprooting due to the development of various infections or structural weaknesses – which tend to become more pronounced with increasing age. In many cases hazards can be readily identified in advance of a tree suffering a failure. Tree owners owe a duty of care to people who may be affected by a hazardous tree but often don’t know what features to look for.
If a tree owner lacks the necessary expertise to assess risk that is when competent arboricultural advice should be sought.
Martin Dobson Associates have considerable experience in identifying hazardous trees and providing comprehensive reports recommending work necessary to make them safe. We don’t operate a tree surgery business so you can be sure that our advice is independent.
A system known as Visual Tree Assessment (VTA) is used for inspecting trees and this is supplemented where necessary by decay detecting equipment.
We undertake tree safety inspection for corporate clients, public bodies such as the NHS and private individuals.
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