COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, May 09, 2022

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor Yvonne Collins

Does the Chief Executive acknowledge that the creation of new Tree Preservation Orders is a valid mechanism for enhanced preservation status for specific trees and will a public consultation take place in regards to the Council's Tree Preservation Orders policy?

REPLY:

The Council’s agreed ‘Living with Trees – SDCC tree management policy’ plays a key role in detailing how the Council will manage, maintain, enhance and increase our tree coverage within the County. This policy, alongside policies and objectives in the County Development Plan and in the Climate Action Plan and Corporate Plan, also ensure that new development proposals give adequate consideration to existing trees on a development site and wherever possible these policies seek to retain trees or where there is an impact ensure that suitable mitigation and reprovision measures are taken. The management and protection of trees on potential development sites and on Council owned lands is strongly outlined in the recently prepared Draft County Development Plan and the Living with Tree SDCC Tree Management Policy 2021 -2026.  As such, the protection of all existing trees in the County on potential development sites is carried out through the assessment of planning proposals (planning applications, Part 10s and Part 8s). Protection and management of all existing trees on Council lands in the public realm will be carried in accordance with the Living with Trees SDCC Tree Management Policy 2021 -2026. 

The establishment of a TPO does bring a specific designated tree / trees under planning control and therefore additional restrictions do apply.

Should the planning authority propose to make a TPO this would involve a public consultation process as set out in section 205 of the consolidated Planning and Development Act