Landscaping scheme implementation and maintenance 

Landscaping scheme

Developers should design their development to avoid or mitigate adverse effects on the landscape and on people using the landscape using good design development.

Your planning application should include an appropriate landscaping scheme which integrates proposed land-use changes, new buildings, structures and hard surfacing with the landscape, and protects or enhances people's experience of the landscape. 

Your landscaping scheme must include any requirements regarding retained trees or hedges, and any requirements for habitats, species or biodiversity net gain. It may also need to accommodate other requirements, such as archaeological preservation, listed structures conservation, or contamination prevention.

Landscaping implementation

If we grant planning consent, we will normally require you to implement, construct and plant your landscaping in full accordance with the approved landscaping scheme by the end of the first planting season, following completion of the built development, or in accordance with a programme agreed with us.

Standards for common landscaping operations

Site preparation, planting and establishment works should be carried out in accordance with the requirements of British Standard 4428 (1989) Code of Practice for General Landscape Operations (excluding hard surfaces). 

Earthworks should be carried-out in accordance with DEFRA's Code of Practice for Sustainable Use of Soils on Construction Sites. Soils for use in landscaping should meet British standards BS 8601:2013 Specification for Subsoil and Requirements for Use, and BS 3882:2015 Specification for Topsoil. We may require you to submit evidence and verification information (such as photographs, delivery notes and laboratory certificates).

New trees, shrubs and hedge plants should comply with the requirements of British Standard 3936, Specification for Nursery Stock. All new tree planting positions should be in accordance with the requirements of Table A.1 of BS5837:2012 'Trees in Relation to Design, Demolition and Construction' (Recommendations). 

We will require any newly seeded or planted vegetation which is removed, dies, becomes severely damaged or becomes seriously diseased, within 5 years of implementation of planting, to be replaced within the next planting season by plants of similar size and species.

Landscaping management, maintenance and monitoring

Except for Householder Applications, we will require a landscape and ecology management plan (LEMP). Your LEMP should describe who will be responsible for management, a work programme, methods for work, and arrangements for monitoring, reporting and review. 

Your LEMP should cover a time period starting from completion of your built development of:

• a minimum of 30 years for all developments classified as major
• as long as required for Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) for all developments required to provide BNG

Your LEMP should include maintenance requirements for all retained and new external features. You should include all hard and soft external features, and any activities required for BNG.

Align your LEMP with any other on-going site activities, such as archaeological preservation works, listed structures conservation, or contamination prevention.

Your Landscape and Ecology Management Plan should include:

Approved plans - Attach copies of your site's approved landscaping scheme and ecology plans. 

Vision - Write a short introduction describing the purposes of your site’s landscaping, how you would like the site to mature and longer-term goals.

Management responsibilities - State which person or organisation will be responsible for arranging, supervising and monitoring maintenance operations, and provide their contact details.

Maintenance Components - Identify and reference each component of your landscaping which needs customised maintenance, for example: 1.Frontage Wall, 2.Pedestrian Paving, 3.Wildlife Pond. Draw a scale plan of your site showing each referenced component's location and area. 

Aims and objectives - Describe your aims and objectives for each component, for example: to provide safe access by keeping paving high quality throughout the useable life of the building, or, to create an avenue of street trees as a long-term landscape feature. Then predict and describe the maintenance needs of each component.

Programme of Operations - Provide a table showing all the maintenance activities for your components.  For each activity, describe the method to be used, how often it will be done and what time of year it will be done. Include regular inspections, routine activities, refurbishment and emergency activities. And include details for replacement in case of failure, for example, ‘Any fence panels found to be damaged beyond safe repair will be replaced to original approved specification within 2 weeks of inspection’.

Monitoring and revision - State how and when the effects of your maintenance activities will be inspected, reported and reviewed. Describe what will trigger change in operations if they are not working well, and state when your LEMP will be revised.

Page last reviewed: 12 March 2024