On 7 March 2025, revisions were made to the Urban Forest (Approval Criteria) Determination 2024 (No 1). These changes aim to refine the approval process for tree damaging activities under the Urban Forest Act 2023.
The revisions introduced discretion for the decision-maker. This allows them to consider approving activities on public trees if an application meets one or more of the criteria below. When considering approvals against the criteria, the decision-maker must also be satisfied that all other alternatives have been deemed ineffective. This includes other remedial treatments or risk mitigation measures. A summary of the approval criteria for public tree activities is listed below.
- The tree’s health is in decline and its life expectancy is short.
- The tree is causing, or there is evidence that is will cause, damage to a substantial building or service.
- The tree is causing excessive shading to a primary residence, between 9 am and 3 pm in winter, and pruning cannot remedy this.
- Pruning the tree will contribute to public safety outcomes. For example, this may include improving line of sight or public access to a public space, service or structure.
- The tree has poor form or low vigour and is of low amenity or ecological value to the surrounding landscape or canopy cover.
- The tree is part of a close planting of trees, and removing the tree will allow the other tree/s to develop
- Pruning the tree will contribute to an improved arboriculture or ecological outcome.
- The tree is a pest species.
- The tree is dead.
- The tree is an inappropriate species for a location.
- Pruning the tree will provide access for vehicles, machinery or equipment to a construction site.
- The proposed tree damaging activity will allow essential access to leased or unleased land, through an existing access point.
- The juvenile tree proposed for removal can be replaced like-for-like with an advanced juvenile tree in close proximity.
- The proposed prohibited groundwork in the tree protection zone meets the threshold of an acceptable impact on the tree. This threshold has been changed from a minimal impact.
There is no guarantee that the activity will be approved if a tree meets one or more of these criteria. Examples of activities that may be approved are in Section 11 of the new Urban Forest (Approval Criteria) Determination 2025 (No 1). This list of examples is not exhaustive and does not limit the activities that may be considered through the application process.
The process to apply to undertake tree damaging activities on public trees remains the same, and can be submitted through a TCCS approval form, Building Application, or Development Application.
For more information see the revised instrument.