Tree survey software launched by Bluesky

Building subsidence is said to cost the insurance industry an estimated £500 million every year - only fire exceeds it as a greater insurance liability.

A mature tree can remove hundreds of gallons of water from the soil every single day; if a tree is adjacent to a house and has been there for many years then its presence will be influencing the soil structure and water content in the proximity of house footings.

Bluesky have launched ProximiTREE, a new digital map layer that accurately marks the location of trees and their proximity to buildings and is designed to aid insurance assessors, property developers and planners to the extent of a trees root system, the spread of its canopy, height and location and used to assess the impact on and existing or proposed property.

Concern about the location of trees is a major worry to house owners, not only when trees cause damage through subsidence but also because the proximity of trees can jeopardise house purchases, insurance claims, planning applications, mortgage loans and even cause disputes between neighbours.