Trees on private land

A Tree Management Permit is not required for removal or pruning in the following situations:

• trees or vegetation confirmed as dead in writing by a qualified arborist with a minimum AQF Certificate 3, and where the tree or vegetation is not required as habitat for native animals
• pruning of deadwood from a tree or dead fronds from a palm tree
• maintenance pruning of trees whereby:
  • branches no more than 100 millimeteres in diameter and less than 10% of the existing crown volume are removed and those branches are:
    • not located more than 2.4 metres above ground level where they adjoin the trunk of the tree
    • located within 1 metre of existing buildings including eaves and gutters
    • all work is undertaken in accordance with the Australian Standard for Pruning of Amenity Trees (AS 4373).

• Maintenance pruning of hedges is permitted without a permit where:
  • the hedge is less than 5 metres in height
  • the hedge is 5 metres or greater in height, but only where all work is undertaken in accordance with the Australian Standard for Pruning of Amenity Trees (AS 4373) and must be conducted by a qualified (minimum AQF Level 3) Arborist or (minimum Certificate 3) Horticulturalist.
• trees or vegetation are identified as a biosecurity risk, formerly known as noxious weeds, under the NSW Biosecurity Act, 2015, except where that tree or vegetation is greater than 10 metres in height
• trees or vegetation that are being maintained or removed by Council staff or its sub-contractors on land under Council's ownership or care and control
• trees or vegetation that have been authorised to be removed or pruned pursuant to a Development Consent issued under the Act, but not prior to the issue of a Construction Certificate relating to that Development Consent
• trees or vegetation that are growing inside a building, where there’s a roof over the tree (for example, within an atrium or internal garden bed)
• it involves the following tree and vegetation species:
  • African olive trees (Olea Africana)  
  • Bamboo (Bambusa species)
  • Box elder (Acer negundo)
  • China doll (Radermachia sinica)
  • Cocos palms (Syagrus romanzoffiana)
  • European nettle or hackberry (Celtis sp.) except on land identified as a heritage item under cl.5.10 of NSLEP 2013
  • Indian coral tree (Eryrthina x sykesii) except on land identified as a heritage item under cl.5.10 of NSLEP 2013
  • Privet species (Ligustrum sp.) except on land identified as a heritage item under cl.5.10 of NSLEP 2013
  • Rubber trees (Ficus elastica)
  • Tree of heaven (Ailanthus sp.)
  • Umbrella trees (Schefflera sp.)
  • Willow trees (Salix sp.) except on land identified as a heritage item under cl.5.10 of NSLEP 2013.