Arborist Reports, Development & Tree Removal Canterbury-Bankstown
AQF Level 5 Arborist Reports for Development Applications, Tree Removal & Construction.
- AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborists
- 32+ years arboricultural experience
- Council-ready documentation
- Fast-track reporting available
Request a free quote
Send your property address, plans, Council correspondence or photographs of the tree and we will confirm which assessment applies.
Tell us the situation and we will tell you the report
Different circumstances call for different arboricultural assessments. If you are not sure which applies, send the Council request, the plans or a photograph of the tree.
Homeowner
You own the property
A tree needs removing or pruning, roots are affecting paving or drains, or a tree looks unsafe. The first question is whether the tree is protected and whether an exemption applies.
Builder or developer
You are building or developing
Trees on, adjoining or near the site can shape the design. Council may require an Arboricultural Impact Assessment, a Tree Protection Plan and a Project Arborist through construction.
Urgent
The tree is urgent
A tree has failed, a limb has come down or a tree is presenting an immediate risk to people or buildings. Make-safe work and dangerous tree assessment can be arranged.
Arborist reports, Council applications and tree work
Reports and tree work through one point of contact, throughout the Canterbury-Bankstown Local Government Area.
Development arborist reports and AIAs
Assessment of existing trees, retention value, Tree Protection Zones, Structural Root Zones and the likely impacts of proposed buildings, driveways, excavation and services.
Tree removal
Establishing whether the tree is protected, whether an exemption applies and whether Council approval or supporting arboricultural evidence is required, then the removal itself.
Tree pruning
Pruning assessment, Council permit support and professional pruning, including where the works exceed Council’s exempt pruning limits.
Tree health and safety assessments
Tree Risk Assessments for declining, damaged or structurally compromised trees, with QTRA and TRAQ qualified assessment and Resistograph investigation where appropriate.
Tree protection plans
How retained trees will be protected before and during construction, applying the relevant tree protection principles of AS 4970-2025 to the individual site.
Project arborist services
Construction monitoring, hold-point inspections, arborist supervision, compliance reporting and certification where Development Consent requires it.
Tree root investigation and mapping
Non-destructive AirSpade investigation and CAD root mapping where excavation, footings, driveways or services interact with Tree Protection Zones or Structural Root Zones.
Emergency tree removal
Response for fallen, storm-damaged and immediately dangerous trees, including make-safe work and Council-ready documentation after the event.
When does Canterbury-Bankstown Council approval apply?
Canterbury-Bankstown Council protects many trees under its Tree Management Order, Chapter 2.3 of the Canterbury-Bankstown Development Control Plan. Before a tree is removed or significantly pruned, the question is whether the tree is protected, whether a specific exemption applies, and whether supporting arboricultural evidence is needed.
All trees on public land are protected under the Tree Management Order regardless of size, species or origin.
Council information last verified 3 September 2026. Requirements can change, so confirm with Canterbury-Bankstown Council for property-specific advice.
5m
The height threshold
Trees less than 5 metres in height are generally exempt under Council's current private-tree guidance. Trees over 5 metres may require Council permission unless another exemption applies.
3m
The dwelling exemption
Generally exempt where the centre of the trunk is within 3 metres of a wall of the primary dwelling, measured 1.4 metres above ground. It does not extend to a verandah, garage, shed or granny flat.
10 / 20%
Exempt pruning limits
Selective pruning may be exempt up to 10 per cent of an indigenous tree or 20 per cent of an exotic tree over 12 months, with branches 150mm or less, subject to exclusions.
3:1
Replacement planting
Where removal is approved, Council generally applies a 3:1 replacement planting requirement, subject to the conditions of the determination.
Assess, report, approval where required, then the tree work
The same sequence applies whether the matter is a single backyard tree or a development site with several trees to retain.
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Send what you have
Property address and photographs for an existing tree. Survey, architectural plans and any Council correspondence for a development.
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We confirm the assessment and quote
We identify which arboricultural assessment applies and provide a fixed quote before any work begins.
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Site inspection and report
An AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborist inspects the tree or site and prepares Council-ready documentation.
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Approval, then the work
Once any necessary approval is in place, our crews can undertake the approved removal or pruning, or supervise retained trees through construction.
Arborist reports across all five Canterbury-Bankstown wards
Development pressure and tree constraints vary considerably across the LGA. Select your ward for information specific to your part of Canterbury-Bankstown.
Darani / Bankstown Ward
Bankstown, Chullora, Greenacre, Mount Lewis and Punchbowl
Bura / Bass Hill Ward
Bass Hill, Birrong, Chester Hill, Condell Park, Georges Hall, Lansdowne, Potts Hill, Regents Park, Sefton, Villawood and Yagoona
Budjar / Canterbury Ward
Ashbury, Belfield, Campsie, Canterbury, Clemton Park, Earlwood, Hurlstone Park and the Canterbury-Bankstown portion of Croydon Park
Bunya / Revesby Ward
East Hills, Milperra, Padstow, Padstow Heights, Panania, Picnic Point, Revesby and Revesby Heights
Bunmarra / Roselands Ward
Belmore, Beverly Hills, Kingsgrove, Lakemba, Narwee, Punchbowl, Riverwood, Roselands and Wiley Park
Some suburbs cross ward or Council boundaries. Punchbowl, for example, is divided between the Darani / Bankstown and Bunmarra / Roselands wards. Send us the property address and we can confirm which ward applies.
Qualified assessment, evidence and tree work in one place
AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborists
Council recommends AQF Level 5 assessment for developments affecting trees, and states that AIA reports should be prepared by an appropriately qualified Consulting Arborist at minimum AQF Level 5.
32+ years of experience
Practical arboricultural and consulting experience across residential, commercial and development projects, through the parent company Arbor Express.
Advanced investigation
AirSpade root investigation, CAD root mapping and Resistograph decay assessment where additional diagnostic evidence is appropriate.
Reports plus tree work
Arboricultural evidence and professional removal or pruning under one point of contact, so nothing falls between two providers.
Consulting arborists working across the Canterbury-Bankstown LGA
Canterbury-Bankstown Tree Permit Services prepares Council-ready AQF Level 5 arborist reports for homeowners, architects, builders, developers, strata managers, town planners and commercial property owners. We work as a service-area business across the whole Local Government Area, from higher-density redevelopment around Bankstown to established canopy toward the Georges River.
The same team can carry out approved tree removal and pruning, and supervise retained trees through construction.
Real Canterbury-Bankstown assessments
Arboricultural assessments across Belmore, Canterbury, Panania, Padstow Heights, Villawood, Revesby and Picnic Point, from single-tree root investigations to multi-tree development and risk assessments.
Liquidambar affecting an adjoining property
A mature Liquidambar in reasonable condition for its age, with roots associated with lifting and displacement of paving next door. Repairs would have required disturbing roughly 25 per cent of the Tree Protection Zone, which the report concluded could compromise stability and long-term viability.
- Height
- Approx. 20 metres
- Trunk diameter (DBH)
- 670mm
- Tree Protection Zone
- 8.04 metres
- Structural Root Zone
- 2.88 metres
Ribbon Gum beside two damaged footpaths
A Ribbon Gum in fair condition with good vitality, where a root barrier had been proposed to address footpath damage raised as a work health and safety concern. The assessment calculated the proposed works at approximately 28.3 per cent Tree Protection Zone encroachment.
- Height
- Approx. 14 metres
- Trunk diameter (DBH)
- 500mm
- Tree Protection Zone
- 6 metres
- Structural Root Zone
- 2.7 metres
What our clients say
Every review below was left on Google for Arbor Express, the AQF Level 5 consulting arborist team behind Canterbury-Bankstown Tree Permit Services.
Frequently asked questions
More detail sits on the guide pages, or send us the specifics and we will tell you what applies.
Do I need Council approval to remove a tree?
Trees over 5 metres may require Council permission before removal or significant pruning unless an exemption applies, such as an exempt species, a qualifying tree close to the primary dwelling, or a dying or dead tree that meets the Chapter 2.3 conditions. We can assess which pathway applies to your property.
Do I need an arborist report for a Development Application?
It depends on whether the proposed works could affect existing trees on, adjoining or near the site. If they could, Council may request an Arboricultural Impact Assessment as part of the application. Send us your plans and we can identify the likely arboricultural requirements before you proceed.
Does Canterbury-Bankstown Council require an AQF Level 5 arborist?
Council recommends AQF Level 5 assessment as part of the design process for developments affecting trees, and states that AIA reports submitted with a Development Application or requested by Council should be prepared by an appropriately qualified Consulting Arborist with a minimum AQF Level 5 qualification. That requirement applies to the person preparing the report, not to every tree matter.
Can you prepare the report and carry out the tree work?
Yes. We provide both AQF Level 5 arborist reports and professional tree removal and pruning throughout Canterbury-Bankstown, so the assessment and the work sit with one provider.
Which Canterbury-Bankstown ward is my property in?
Send us the property address and we can identify the relevant ward. Some suburbs cross ward or Council boundaries. Punchbowl is divided between the Darani / Bankstown and Bunmarra / Roselands wards, and several suburbs near the LGA boundary extend into neighbouring councils.
What does an Arboricultural Impact Assessment cover?
Tree species and dimensions, health and structural condition, retention value, Tree Protection Zones, Structural Root Zones, proposed development encroachment, excavation and construction impacts, and recommendations for retention, protection or removal.
Not sure which arborist report you need?
Send us your plans, Council correspondence or photographs of the tree. Our AQF Level 5 Consulting Arborists can identify the appropriate assessment, explain the next step and provide a fixed quote before work begins.