Case Study

A protected tree, a knockdown-rebuild, and a permit that still went through.

How tree protection zone (TPZ) and structural root zone (SRZ) mapping kept a significant tree and the build program both on track.

The problem

A knockdown-rebuild sat next to a large protected tree. Council would not accept the application without a development impact assessment. The builder needed the Tree Protection Zone and Structural Root Zone mapped before the design was locked — otherwise a refusal, a redesign, and a delayed start.

The solution

We measured the tree on site, mapped the TPZ and SRZ, and showed where the proposed building line sat relative to those zones. Encroachment was written as a number, not a guess. The report set out fencing, mulching and hold-points the builder could actually build to, in the format that council uses.

The outcome

The permit was approved on the first submission. The tree stayed. The build program did not stop for a redesign.

Inspecting a protected tree beside a knockdown-rebuild — The tree and the building line — measured on site, not estimated from a plan.

Tree protection fencing around a retained tree — Protection fencing that matches the mapped TPZ, ready before machines arrive.

Non-destructive root investigation trench — Where roots sit relative to the design — evidence, not opinion.

Property details omitted.

What we did

✓ Mapped the Tree Protection Zone (TPZ) and Structural Root Zone (SRZ) from on-site measurements
✓ Showed how the design could adjust within the retained footprint without encroaching on the root zone
✓ Recommended fencing, mulching and supervision controls for the construction period
✓ Prepared the report in the council’s required format for the planning submission

A similar problem on your site?

Tell us about the tree, the build, or the decision in front of you.

Property details omitted.

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