Tree Removal Central Coast, New South Wales
Local Tree Removal Gosford provides tree removal across the Central Coast, from backyard trees to trees close to buildings and powerlines, along with stump grinding, tree cutting, pruning, land clearing and emergency storm work. This page explains how council’s permit process works when your tree isn’t exempt.
When You Need To Apply
Most removals on residential land aren’t exempt unless one of council’s exemptions fits, and those are set out on our home page. If none of them fits, council’s Private Tree Works Application is the next step. It’s required where council is the authorising agency and the work isn’t exempt. Council isn’t the authorising agency for some private properties, such as rural land, where Local Land Services decides instead.
What Council Asks For
| Your situation | What applies |
|---|---|
| Up to five trees, not part of a vegetation community | A Private Tree Works Application. Council won’t accept several five-tree applications for the same property, or an application within 12 months of the last one for that property. |
| Six or more trees, or a larger area | A different permit with more supporting information. See our land clearing page. |
| A heritage item, or a tree in a heritage conservation area | Heritage approval for minor maintenance works, or a development consent for significant works. |
| A tree on council land or in the street | Not yours to apply for. Contact council on 02 4306 7900. |
The 12-month limit catches people out. If you apply for a few trees now and find more that need work later in the year, council won’t accept a second application for the same property until 12 months have passed. List every tree you want dealt with in the first application.
How The Application Runs
- Check your tree against the exemptions first. If one covers it, you don’t need to apply.
- Have the species identified, and take photos of the whole tree and close-ups of the bark and leaves.
- Lodge the Private Tree Works Application with council, listing every tree you want to deal with.
- Council’s Tree Assessment Officer inspects. Its 2018 fact sheet says this is usually within 10 working days, and that a specific date and time can’t be arranged in advance.
- Council decides. If it refuses, the fact sheet says you can appeal in writing to council’s CEO.
Council’s numbers and timeframes come from an older fact sheet, so confirm them with council on 02 4306 7900 before relying on them.
Urgent, But Not An Emergency
Sometimes a tree is a real risk but hasn’t yet fallen on anything, and an arborist can’t get there quickly. Council says that if you can show you couldn’t engage an AQF5 arborist within a reasonable time, you can lodge an urgent application on the standard form and select “Imminent Risk”. It asks for clear photos showing the tree has suffered structural failure. For a tree that has already come down, see our emergency tree removal page. Our arborist page explains the evidence council asks for.
Nuisance Is Treated Differently From Risk
Council lists normal leaf or fruit fall, some loss of sunlight, minor roots creating trips, and trees interacting with fences, paving or non-structural walls as nuisance matters. Applications on those grounds carry their own requirements. Ask council what to include before you lodge.
If you need the stump dealt with once the tree is gone, see our stump grinding page.
Get your tree looked at
Tell us where the tree is, how many trees are involved and whether you think an exemption applies. Photos help.