Erskine College developers remove ‘huge’ po¯hutukawa
Wellington residents are lamenting the loss of ‘‘magnificent’’ po¯ hutukawa trees at the Erskine College development in Island Bay.
None of the trees were on Wellington City Council’s list of about 150 protected specimens, and the developers were within their rights to remove them, a council spokesman said.
Erskine College developers say that while some trees were cut down, many were retained, and the company is committed to preserving natural heritage.
‘‘Huge, huge trees are going and they have left a piddly amount,’’ Wellington resident Anthea Grob said.
She said she was depressed when she discovered some of the trees at the site were being removed.
‘‘I felt frustrated that enough to save them.’’
Grob said it was sad to discover these and other trees weren’t protected by the city council. It wasn’t just the trees but birds and the whole ecosystem that would be lost, she added.
‘‘I have seen a number of big trees removed for changes and that concerns me.’’ I couldn’t do
Her sentiment was echoed by a number of Wellington residents who were saddened by the loss of the trees they claimed were as old as the college itself.
The Wellington Company Limited is behind the $30 million Erskine College development that includes 96 housing units, and a $7m restoration of Erskine’s historic chapel.
As part of the project, the company will restore both the chapel and the Reverend Mother’s Garden.
‘‘There is a loss of trees, which is largely on private property, [but] also a significant investment being made,’’ said Earl Hope-Pearson, development manager at the Erskine College site.
Eight trees were being removed and six would be preserved, he said. ‘‘Some of the trees have been removed for health and safety purposes, and some have been removed for development.’’
He was unsure how old the trees that had been removed were but said that developers had ‘‘a genuine commitment to preservation of heritage’’.
‘‘We are retaining a significant amount of trees on that site.’’
The company was making a significant investment into the Reverend Mother’s Gardens and would do more planting at the site.
Wellington City Council approved the removal of one po¯ hutukawa on a road reserve to improve visibility, spokesman Richard MacLean said. The developers were entitled to remove unprotected trees on private property
The council had worked with the developer to retain a number of po¯ hutukawa in the Reverend Mother’s Garden, he said.