Proposed Plan Change 14 (PC14) – Housing and Business Choice, introduces a new requirement to provide a 20% tree canopy cover on residential development sites.

It additionally requires a 15% canopy cover to be planted in new road corridors created in greenfield or brownfield residential subdivisions. The rules, contained in the proposed new Chapter 6.10A of PC14 [PDF, 679 KB], provide an option of paying financial contributions in lieu of tree planting. The contributions will be used for off-site tree planting by the Council.

While the rules explain how to calculate the required tree canopy cover and/or financial contributions so that you can calculate these yourself, the online calculator will quickly do that for you.

Please note that to calculate financial contributions, you will need to obtain a current valuation of the land used for development. The valuation should be requested through the Council.

More information about tree species and their projected canopy sizes can be found in section 10.9.5 of the Infrastructure Design Standard.

Required tree canopy cover area calculator
Tree type and number calculator

Use the boxes below to select a number and size of tree(s) to reach the required canopy area. You may need to choose different tree sizes to achieve the required tree canopy cover.

Refer to the Infrastructure Design Standard (section 10.9.5) for a list of tree species and their projected canopy sizes.

The calculator will let you know when you have selected enough trees to fulfill the required canopy area.

The canopy area total field will give you the canopy area for the trees you have selected.

You will also see the required amount of soil (land area in ​m² x one-metre depth) for the number and type of tree chosen.

Small: 10.01m² canopy/tree
(3.8 m³ soil /tree)
Medium: 66.92m² canopy/tree
(25.5 m³ soil/tree)
Large: 185.89m² canopy/tree
(70.8 m³ soil/tree)
Very large: 250.44m² canopy/tree
(95.4 m³ soil/tree)

You need to select more trees. You need to select more trees or pay a financial contribution for the remainder of the canopy required. Use the calculator below to work out what you'd need to pay based on the number and type of trees selected here. You have enough tree canopy coverage.

Financial contributions calculator

To use this calculator you will need a land valuation carried out on your property. Contact us if you need to arrange a valuation.

The financial contribution for trees is based on an average tree having a canopy of 130m² and the average cost of a tree being $2037. The financial contribution for the land is based on an average tree needing 50m² of land priced at the current value you obtained.

As you've chosen a combination of tree cover and financial contribution approach, you will have to plant the type and number of trees selected by you in the calculator and pay the financial contribution amount shown above.