Well I’ve only done the boreholes and,as yet, I don’t know the flow rate or water quality. I shall add these details when i get to that point.

I found it difficult to find any single source of advice. I put together a view of what I needed to do from talking to a lot of people and also reading and searching the internet. The BGS were very helpful and after talking to them I paid for their water prognosis report which I think was worth the money (£352 including VAT).

In most cases this is directly attributable to construction and the siting of roads, paths and foundations, and results either from root severance, ground compaction, level changes, alkali’s (from aggregates and cementitious products) or a combination of these and numerous other factors. The widespread lack of awareness of the sensitivity of tree roots means that such specimens, which have taken centuries to mature (and are in a very real sense irreplaceable), are as good as sacrificed during development.

I have seen numerous cases where works have led to the early demise of high quality trees and for the most part people do not associate the development work with the resulting damage and disease, one reason for this is the effects usually only start becoming clear five or more years down the line, another is that the people haven’t had a relationship with the landscape and therfore miss the context.

I understand your concerns with regard to the price and availability of the British Standards, in some ways they, as many things, do more to promote the creation of cartels than promoting wider public understanding.

Best wishes for your build, and I hope you come to appreciate those natural assets which you’ve inherited.

Ali.