We strongly encourage you to contact our planning team before removing or heavily pruning trees on private land to confirm if a planning permit is required.
Unauthorised removal or pruning of protected trees and flora may result in:
- enforcement action
- fines and prosecution
- requirements for replacement planting or remediation.
Trees play a vital role in Casey’s neighbourhoods by providing shade, improving air quality, supporting biodiversity and enhancing neighbourhood character. Council recognises the importance of protecting trees while balancing the need for safety, development and reasonable property use.
Before removing or extensively pruning a tree, Council encourages landowners and applicants to carefully consider whether impacts on significant healthy trees can be avoided or minimised. This may include exploring alternative building designs, construction methods, service alignments, site layouts or management practices that facilitate tree retention. Retaining established trees helps maintain neighbourhood amenity, environmental values and the long-term benefits provided by Casey’s urban forest.
Planning controls under the City of Casey Planning Scheme regulate when and how trees can be removed or pruned on private land. In some circumstances, a planning permit is required, and penalties may apply for unauthorised tree removal or pruning.
Frequently asked questions
- When is a planning permit required?
A planning permit is required when:
- the land is affected by a planning overlay, such as:
- Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO)
- Vegetation Protection Overlay (VPO)
- Significant Landscape Overlay (SLO)
- Heritage Overlay (HO). - the tree is a canopy tree and has:
- a height of more than 5 metres above ground level
- a canopy diameter of at least 4 metres
- a trunk circumference of >0.5 metres, 1.4 metres above ground level. - the property is over 4,000 sqm, and the vegetation is native.
As planning controls vary across Casey, we recommend that you check the planning controls that apply to your land before undertaking any tree works.
- the land is affected by a planning overlay, such as:
- When isn't a planning permit required?
A planning permit is not required, where:
- trees that pose an immediate risk to people or property (only the hazardous parts may be removed) *
- minor pruning for tree maintenance, such as removing dead branches or branches that damage buildings or services
- pruning near power lines or service infrastructure is undertaken for safety reasons
- removal of certain environmental weed species
- where a planning scheme or provisions specifically state that an exemption applies.
* An immediate risk is defined as the tree or part of the tree that is likely to fail within 48 hours, and that failure could damage assets or injure persons.
- How do I check planning controls on my property?
You can identify the planning controls that apply to your land by:
- reviewing the City of Casey Planning Scheme and zoning information via VicPlan
- or contacting Council’s Planning Services team for verbal or written confirmation.
- How do I apply for a planning permit?
If a planning permit is required, you will generally need to submit:
- a completed planning permit application (fees apply)
- a site plan showing the location of the tree(s)
- details of the proposed works and reasons for removal or pruning
- supporting information, such as an arborist report.
Applications are assessed against the Planning Scheme, environmental impacts and neighbourhood character considerations.
Talk to our planners
Please contact our planning team to confirm if you need a planning permit to remove or heavily prune a tree. They will contact you within two business days.