North Sydney Council Tree Removal Rules & Permits

Which trees are protected

• Any tree 5 m or taller, or with a crown 5 m or wider.
• Any tree with a trunk circumference of 500 mm or more, measured at ground level.
• On heritage items, Bangalow palms and Kentia palms (and several weed species) are protected whatever their size.

What's exempt

• Trees under the size thresholds above.
• Dead trees, if an arborist or horticulturist (AQF Level 3 or higher) confirms in writing that the tree is dead and it isn't needed as habitat.
• Removing deadwood, including dead palm fronds.
• Light maintenance pruning: no more than 10% of the crown, branches up to 100 mm thick, and only where those branches are no more than 2.4 m above ground at the trunk or within 1 m of a building. The work must follow AS 4373-2007.
• Hedges under 5 m tall.
• Listed species of any size: African olive, bamboo, box elder, China doll, cocos palm, rubber tree, tree of heaven and umbrella tree. Hackberry, Indian coral tree, privet and willow are also exempt except on heritage-listed land.

Pruning

Light maintenance pruning is exempt within strict limits (10% of the crown, branches up to 100 mm). Anything more on a protected tree needs a permit.

How to apply

1. Apply for a Tree Management Permit. If the tree work is part of a development that already needs consent, it's handled in that development application instead.
2. Council aims to assess private tree applications within 12 business days.
3. Trees protected by the policy must be pruned or removed by a qualified arborist.

Fees: Fees are listed in Council's fees and charges.

Reasons that usually aren't accepted

As a rule, councils don't approve removing a healthy, stable tree for leaf litter, shade or views.

Official sources

• North Sydney Council: trees on private land
• North Sydney DCP 2013, Part B Section 16 (PDF)

Tree removal in this council area