A DCP is a document which contains a set of detailed planning and design guidelines that complements the controls of a Local Environmental Plan (LEP).

The DCP Part 9.5 – Tree preservation sets Council’s policy for how trees are preserved and managed on private land. It provides guidelines, objectives and controls for people who wish to carry out development (tree works) in the Local Government Area (LGA). This section of the DCP guides Council in the assessment of Development Applications received and determined by the City of Ryde.

Council’s existing DCP Part 9.5 - Tree Preservation, was last reviewed in 2014 and minor updates were made in 2016. Since then, the NSW Government has updated legislation relating to tree and vegetation protection, detailed in the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 and State Environmental Planning Policy - Biodiversity and Conservation 2021 (Biodiversity and Conservation State Environmental Planning Policy - SEPP).

Since 2014, Council has also adopted a Local Strategic Planning Statement (LSPS) and Ryde Urban Forest Strategy, all of which identified a 40% canopy target for the LGA. These documents have set the strategic direction for the management of trees within the LGA. An update to the DCP Part 9.5 – Tree Preservation is required to ensure it reflects the current legislative environment and aligns to the relevant Council adopted plans and strategies.

The introduction of the Biodiversity and Conservation SEPP provides local government authorities with the statutory powers to issue penalties for illegal tree works undertaken without approval from Council where the SEPP is referred to in Council’s relevant DCP.

If the tree removal and pruning work on a private land includes any of the tree conditions identified in the DCP, the landholder would be required to seek a permit for completing the work. Council has a tree management application process, detailed here, which outlines the requirements and process when tree works are to be completed on private land in the LGA.

Tree removals – whether on private or public land - reduce the tree canopy and the benefits the urban forest provides the City and the broader community. Even if the removed trees are replaced, the length of time that is required for the tree to benefit community and environment (e.g. providing shade, cooling the urban environment, contributing to the biodiversity) should be considered.

Trees are an invaluable asset for our community and play an important role in achieving Council’s vision to provide a beautiful, sustainable, liveable and cool City. Trees provide community with a wide range of benefits, including relief from summer’s heat, reducing glare from the pavement, reducing runoff, and improving air quality.