A new law aimed at offering “enhanced protection” for trees in Jersey is set to be enacted in October if approved by the States.
Under this legislation, individuals conducting certain activities will be required to notify the authorities, potentially necessitating planning permission.
The initial plans for the legislation, which were deemed “overly strict” by industry stakeholders, have undergone “significant revisions” after the government extended the consultation period to gather input from the public.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf, the Minister for the Environment, emphasized that the government had taken into account the concerns expressed by industry representatives. He noted, “I’d like to reassure all those who had significant concerns about the legislation during the consultation period that it has been revised. For instance, the threshold for exempt tree work has been increased from 8cm (3.1 inches) as initially proposed to 25cm (9.8 inches) under the new policy.”
Revisions to the original proposal also include allowing more routine tree work to occur without the need for planning permission or notification. This encompasses work on domestic and commercial fruit trees and trees with diameters of 25cm or less at a height of 1.5m (4ft 9in) above ground, which will not be classified as development.
Routine tree management activities, such as crown thinning of up to 30% and cutting, trimming, and shaping of hedgerows, will be permitted without government notification.
Certain exemptions to the law will apply, including the cutting of diseased trees, those posing public safety risks, or those causing damage to buildings. Removal of dead branches and tree work mandated by other laws will also be exempted.
The government has introduced an online notification system to streamline the application process.