Protected trees

To find out if a tree is protected you can refer to the online Christchurch City Plan  and Banks Peninsula Proposed District Plan, List of Protected Trees - heritage and notable trees, or you can contact the Duty Planner on (03) 941 8999 .

Some trees are also protected by consent notices as a condition of subdivision consent, or by conditions of a resource consent.

Some trees are marked with metal disks which were put on protected trees under the old District Councils such as the old Riccarton Borough. The trees with metal disks may no longer be protected under the City Plan, so you will need to check that it is listed in the relevant Plan or by calling the Duty Planner.

Orange plastic disks are currently used to mark trees protected by the Christchurch City Plan and the Banks Peninsula Proposed District plan or by consent notices. The status of a tree can change from being protected to not being protected (and vice versa) so it is best to check with the relevant Plan or to call the Duty Planner to be certain.

View more information on protected and overhanging trees:

• Christchurch City Plan rules on protected heritage and notable trees [PDF 57.8KB]
• The protection of listed and street trees [PDF 94KB]
• Pruning problems with overhanging trees [PDF 214KB]

If you would like the Council to take a look at a tree of concern, you can log a request through our make a query, report a problem online form.

Protected trees fall into four categories:

• Heritage and Notable trees are listed individually or in groups in Part 10 of the Christchurch City Plan and Appendix VII of the Banks Peninsula Proposed District Plan.
• Trees within the Special Purpose Amenity (Road) Zones listed in Part 8 of the Christchurch City Plan.
• Significant trees are protected through subdivision consent processes.
• Trees protected as a condition of a resource consent.

Christchurch City Plan

If a tree is protected in the Christchurch City Plan as a Heritage or Notable tree , no work can be carried out without a resource consent. For the purposes of the rule, work includes:

(a) removal of any tree or;

(b) the construction of any building, or laying of overhead or underground services, any sealing, paving, soil compaction, or any alteration of more than 75mm to the ground level existing prior to work commencing, any depositing of chemical or other substances harmful to the tree within 10 metres of the base of any protected tree;

(c) the fixing of any structure or object to any part of the tree, any operation which will wound the bark tissue of any part of the tree or;

(d) pruning at a height greater than one-third the total height of the tree, and also including any branches greater than 50mm diameter below this level.

Banks Peninsula Proposed District Plan

If a tree is protected in the Banks Penisula District Plan, no person shall without a resource consent

a) cut, damage, alter, injure, destroy or partially destroy any scheduled tree listed in Appendix VII (including its roots); or

b) within the drip-line of any scheduled tree:

• Alter the soil levels or water table by addition or excavation;
• Store materials, vehicles or machinery;
• Discharge or disperse any toxic substance or put in place any weed control membrane; or
• Undertake any use, excavation, construction work or activity.

Regular minor trimming or maintenance of any tree undertaken by hand operated secateurs or pruning shears in accordance with accepted arboricultural practice can be carried out without resource consent.

Hazardous protected tree

Christchurch City & Banks Peninsula
If a protected tree on a private property is temporarily in a hazardous state, pruning work to remove the immediate danger can be carried out. However, the Council’s arborists need to be informed and the work is the responsibility of the owner. If the tree is on Council land, the Council is responsible for the work.

Dead protected tree

Christchurch City Plan
It is unusual for a tree to suddenly become dangerous through dying as it takes a considerable time for the process and property owners need to inform the Council before the tree reaches a state of being obviously hazardous.

However if a protected tree does become dangerous or in diseased condition such that its continued protection can not be justified, the property owner can request that the Council delete the tree from its list of protected trees without the need for a resource consent.

Before the Council will remove the tree from the list of Heritage and Notable trees a report (including colour photographs) from a qualified arborist outlining the health of the tree needs to be provided to the Trees and Nurseries Team of the Transport and Greenspace Unit. This report will be at the cost of the property owner. A Council arborist will review the the report and advise the property owner whether the removal of the protection is justified. The tree can not be removed from the property until the property has written confirmation from the Council that the tree has been removed from its tree protection list. Contact the City Arborist for the details of suitably qualified arborists within Christchurch.

Banks Peninsula Proposed District Plan
Protected trees which have died require resource consent before they can be removed.

Significant trees protected by consent notices
For trees that are protected by consent notices as a condition of a subdivision consent, pruning maintenance can be carried out as long as it is in accordance with the conditions of the consent notice. Generally, the conditions require that the work is carried out in accordance with good arboricultural practice which means that trees should be pruned by a suitably qualified and experienced arboriculture professional.

Trees protected by resource consent
For trees protected by a condition of a resource consent, please contact the Duty Planner by phoning (03) 941 8999 , before you carry out any pruning work. A variation to the resource consent conditions may be required.