Arboricultural Consultant

Arboricultural Consultant

Location: Hampshire or central London

Salary: £38k - £45k (depending on experience)

Working pattern: Hybrid, with 2–3 days per week in the office

We are working with a creative, independent and 100% employee-owned multidisciplinary practice looking to appoint an Arboricultural Consultant.

The role can be based from either the company’s Alton studio or central London office, with hybrid working and an expectation of around 2–3 office days per week.

The practice brings together arboriculturists, landscape architects and urban designers, working collaboratively across a range of planning, development, public realm and land management projects.

This is a particularly interesting opportunity for someone who enjoys planning-led arboricultural consultancy but would also like to help shape and expand a growing service. Alongside delivering established BS5837 work, there will be scope to develop additional technical services, including 3D tree and planning analysis, internal decay detection and wider tree management advice.

The role

You will support the delivery of planning-led arboricultural consultancy services across a varied portfolio of projects.

Your responsibilities will include:

• Undertaking BS5837 tree surveys for development sites
• Preparing tree schedules and constraints information
• Producing Arboricultural Impact Assessments
• Preparing Tree Protection Plans
• Producing Arboricultural Method Statements
• Assessing Root Protection Areas, canopy constraints and tree categorisation
• Identifying direct and indirect development impacts
• Advising project teams on tree protection and design amendments
• Providing technical input to planning applications
• Supporting reserved matters applications and planning condition discharge
• Liaising with clients, consultants, local authorities and internal design teams
• Helping to develop new arboricultural services and technical capabilities
• Taking on increasing responsibility for project and service management as the team grows

You will work closely with colleagues across landscape architecture, planning and urban design, providing arboricultural advice throughout the design and planning process.

About you

You will have experience delivering planning-related arboricultural work and a strong working knowledge of BS5837:2012.

You should be confident in:

• Tree identification and condition assessment
• Undertaking development-site tree surveys
• Assessing tree quality, constraints and retention categories
• Calculating Root Protection Areas
• Identifying construction and demolition impacts
• Advising on suitable tree protection measures
• Producing clear technical reports, schedules and plans
• Communicating technical advice to clients and wider project teams

Experience using OTISS, KeyTREE, AutoCAD and Microsoft Office would be beneficial. Candidates using comparable tree survey or mapping software will also be considered.

An understanding of veteran trees, ancient trees and ancient woodland constraints would be advantageous, including the ability to recognise relevant features and advise on appropriate planning buffers.

Qualifications and experience

You will ideally have:

• A Level 4 qualification or equivalent in arboriculture, forestry or a related subject
• Previous arboricultural consultancy experience
• Strong knowledge of BS5837:2012
• Excellent tree identification skills
• Experience preparing or contributing to AIAs, AMSs and Tree Protection Plans
• A full UK driving licence
• Eligibility to work in the UK

Why join?

This is a unique opportunity to join an employee-owned practice where employees have a genuine stake in the long-term success and direction of the business.

The company offers:

• The opportunity to become an employee owner
• A future employee bonus scheme
• A competitive salary in the high £38,000 - 45k depending on expierence
• A choice of rural or central London office
• Hybrid working with 2–3 office days per week
• Flexible core working hours
• A culture where late and weekend working is actively discouraged
• 25 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• Pension contributions following probation
• Training, mentorship and professional development
• The opportunity to help grow and shape the arboricultural service
• Exposure to high-profile planning, landscape and public realm projects
• A supportive, collaborative and sociable working environment

This role would suit an Arboricultural Consultant looking for more than a standard surveying and reporting position, with the opportunity to influence how the service develops and take on greater responsibility over time.