Good idea to plant trees before building house?

S

sesame

Guest
We are in the process of applying for planning permission but we do not intend to build for a few years yet. The site is very bare and I would like to plant some trees as soon as possible to give them some time to get established before we move in. Is this a good idea or could they cause problems when we eventually build?
 
It depends.

If you plant trees where you intend to build, then you wil lhave problems. Perhaps you could do up some form of landscaping plan and start with the perimeter areas with your trees. I would not do too much fancy type work in case you are refused PP or that some really eagle eyed planner visits site and decides that you have commenced work without PP!
 
Exactly, and you may be also told what types of trees & hedge to plant, so wait for the planners first
 
The planners generally speaking look for native deciduous trees to be planted so you should be safe to go with those eg beech, oak, chestnut, birch etc. If you have an architect, talk to them first. If you have a fair idea of where the house, acccess, drainage etc will be on the site then I would go ahead (I've done so myself). Tree whips are only about 2ft in height and in two or three years wont be difficult to remove if you have to. They will need to be staked though. I would plant in uneven number groves in mixed groups to look more natural.
 
they would have to be well protected during the construction process..... i have seen some newly planted hedging decimated by incompetent tradespeople.... jcb drivers, plasterers washing out tools, and the like...
 
What syd said.
It is a good idea for your own sake - and also to help to "bed in" your house, making it slightly more likely you'll get Planning.
Just be careful you understand how contractors will be accessing your site to build the house.
 
apparently if a tree grows 30 feet it can have 5 times that circumference in roots,these roots are powerful,can split foundations,will suck moisture from soil in the summer causing shrinkage.
 
Good idea I think. IF you are going to plant a hedge also do so now. We planted a fruit orchard before and during our build and as other posters said it is truly amazing the capacity of tradesmen to destroy plants no where near where they should be working. We had a team of stonemasons in who killed three trees nowhere near them- when I expressed surprise that they had managed to do this the reply was 'is this a building site or a nursery?' You'd have to laugh really. I was sorry I didnt plant a hedge before anything else though.
 
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