GM Tree Consultants:

GMTC is a professional, independent, arboricultural consultancy firm that deal with a wide range of tree services. I have been qualified in arboricultural practices since 1997 and am able to draw off this experience to give positive advice that is beneficial to both our client and the tree.

Gary Marsden is a professional member of both the Arboricultural Association www.trees.org.uk and the Consulting Arborist Society www.consultingarboristsociety.co.uk .

Continued personal development ensures that we are kept up to date with current best practice and techniques.

We are located close to the M65 corridor and cover Blackburn, Preston, Burnley, Bolton, Chorley and all associated areas within Lancashire and the North West.

Unlike many companies, GM Tree Consultants are not tree surgeons, so have no incentive to specify work to trees that is not essential. We are, however, able to commission local tree surgeons on your behalf and monitor that their work is undertaken in accordance with BS 3998: Recommendations for tree works, as an additional service.

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Tree Preservation Orders (TPO’s):

Tree preservation orders are put on trees by the Local Council as a way of controlling and monitoring work to these prominent trees, if no controls were in place pruning or felling could take place that would be detrimental to the health and visual amenity value of the treescape, and the quality of work may not comply with good arboricultural practice.
GM Tree Consultants are able to give advice as to the condition of the tree and recommend removal or specific pruning operations to remedy any problems while still considering the health and aesthetic qualities of the tree. All application forms and correspondence would be carried out by us from submission to final decision. We will also submit appeals to the planning inspectorate if you are not happy with the council’s decision.

Development Site Tree Surveys:

If you have trees on the site you are planning to develop then the Local Planning Authority (LPA) will specify that a tree survey is under taken that conforms to BS 5837:2005 - Trees in Relation to Construction, to plot location, tree dimensions, age, amenity value, management recommendations and required root protection areas.
GM Tree Consultants are able to accurately record all this information using electronic tree management software and laser distancing tools and convert this into a scale drawing that can be submitted along with a detailed report as part of your planning application.

Tree Hazard Assessments:

As a landowner with trees present, you have a responsibility under The Occupier's Liability Act 1957/1984, this lays down a duty for occupiers to take reasonable and practical steps to ensure that premises (including woodland) are reasonably safe for visitors permitted to be there. This affects landowners / managers of trees and woodland who need to make regular safety inspections of their trees adjacent to buildings, roads, car parks, footpaths, picnic areas, public areas, etc. to ensure that you have taken reasonable and practical steps to monitor the safety of your trees to prevent damage or injury to people or property.

GMTC are able to inspect and document the trees condition using electronic tree management software enabling us to recommend any remedial action in relation to the risk they impose to a target. We use QTRA (Quantified Tree Risk Assessment) as a method of calculating the risk of significant harm from a tree failure in a way that enables the land owner to balance safety with tree values and operate to a predetermined limit of reasonable or acceptable risk. A detailed explanation of QTRA can be found by following this link: www.qtra.co.uk/cms 

Tree Inspection Reports for Mortgage / Insurance Purposes:

When purchasing a property that has trees in its proximity a report is needed by banks and insurance companies to establish if there is any significant risk of that tree causing either direct (physically) or indirect (subsidence) damage to the property.

GMTC are able to provide this preliminary report in a format that is recognised as an industry standard that is easy to read and understand.

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (L.O.L.E.R.):

To comply with current legislation, climbing equipment used for arboricultural purposes needs to be inspected every 6 months by an independent and competent person qualified to NPTC standard, to ensure that it is safe and fit for purpose.

Here at GM Tree Consultants we are able to carry out these inspections and provide weekly inspection sheets to help you keep your inspection records up to date.