Development project in High Wycombe
About This Project
Team:
Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust, MTX, NBBJ
Site:
Wycombe Hospital
Introduction:
Plans have been approved for a landmark new building at the Wycombe Hospital site. Tree Frontiers were involved with this project from the early design stages and were able to advise and guide the design team with regards to the quantum of tree loss that the project would require, and subsequent replacement planting options that would need to be considered in order for it to be compliant with local planning requirements.
Background:
Tree Frontiers were approached by MTX, the construction company tasked with the project design and market leaders in healthcare buildings, who worked alongside NBBJ Architects. The project was led by Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust.
The Opportunity:
The initial plans as shared with Tree Frontiers by MTX showed the addition of a new theatres building and reconfigured open-air car park. Due to the limited amount of space within the project boundary, achieving this would be highly complex. We carried out a survey of the project area in which we identified 85 trees or groups of trees, along with a Tree Preservation Order which applied to three trees and one group within the site boundary.
By overlaying our tree data on the proposed plans we were able to advise that 39 of the trees or groups would need to be removed in order for the construction to be achieved. In this instance, due to the necessity for the new building and limited space within the site, amendments to the design to minimise tree loss was not a viable option.
As the site falls within High Wycombe Town Centre area, it was also necessary for us to undertake a Canopy Cover Assessment to review the extent of canopy loss and replacement canopy based on proposed new landscaping. Space would be extremely limited, and as such it would not be possible to provide adequate replacement planting to compensate for the loss of trees and canopy cover within the planning application boundary, but replacement trees would be planted across the wider Wycombe Hospital site.
The Results:
Following submission of our report to the design team, further discussions were had with the Trust regarding opportunities for replacement planting within the wider ownership boundary. A proposal was added to the planning submission which outlined a large number of replacement trees which would be added to the south and east of the larger hospital site, as well as 12 of the proposed trees for removal being pruned instead.
Plans were submitted to Buckinghamshire Council who viewed them favourably, and permission was granted in December 2025. Construction should begin imminently, with the Endoscopy Department aiming to welcome patients in 2027.
If you have a similar project requiring arboricultural advice contact us at info@treefrontiers.com
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