Tree Surgeon in Brighton & Hove

Brighton and Hove is a city of contrasts when it comes to trees and gardens. The dense Victorian and Edwardian terraces of Kemp Town, Hanover, and Seven Dials have compact rear gardens where trees often outgrow their space quickly, blocking light to basement kitchens and neighbouring windows. Meanwhile, the wide Edwardian avenues of Hove — Tongdean, Withdean, and Preston Park — have some of the finest mature garden trees in Sussex, including specimen oaks, copper beeches, and monkey puzzles planted over a century ago.

With 34 designated conservation areas across the city, a significant number of Brighton and Hove’s trees are subject to planning restrictions. Areas including Kemp Town, Preston Park, Montpelier & Clifton Hill, and The Lanes all have conservation area status, meaning six weeks’ notice to the council is required before carrying out tree work. Many individual trees also have TPOs, particularly the mature specimens along the avenues north of the Old Shoreham Road.

Brighton’s proximity to the South Downs National Park, which borders the city’s northern and eastern edges, creates a landscape where garden trees and open downland meet. Properties in Woodingdean, Rottingdean, Ovingdean, and along the Ditchling Road corridor often have native species like ash, beech, and field maple alongside planted garden trees. The chalk soil in these areas suits certain species particularly well but can make others more vulnerable to drought stress.