Natives fall for city retirement village
Native trees were given the chop in order to make way for a new retirement village in Hamilton East.
One neighbouring resident called the cull an act of ‘‘vandalism’’, but Manor Group Investment, the company in charge of the build, said it was necessary.
The final stage of Roseland Park is under way at 18 Fox St, with the build scheduled for completion in March 2019.
The long-standing resident, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the removal of native trees on the construction site was ‘‘wanton destruction’’.
The trees were removed to make way for residents’ driveways, as well as new gas lines and power cable routes.
They lined the berm between Fox St and the property, and were owned by Hamilton City Council.
Manor Group gained nonnotified resource consent from council to proceed with the development, but the resident said the consent was outdated.
‘‘In 2015, the developer in an on-site meeting with us, agreed that before the trees were felled, they would contact council again.
‘‘There is no record of them having done so,’’ she said.
A kowhai was one of the trees felled during development, and the resident suspects it dated back to the 1940s.
‘‘Each year I counted the increase of tui feeding off the flowers on this tree in spring. There were between 10-12 tui.
‘‘I am not only incensed by the loss of the kowhai tree and other natives along Fox St but I am equally concerned about future development and the lack of consideration shown by developers for our native habitat.’’
Manor Group Investment chief executive Adam Yates said the group was aware of some residents’ desires to keep the original look of the street.
However, the company had worked with a Hamilton City Council arborist to mark out what trees could and should be saved, he said.
‘‘We have tried to keep as many of the original trees along Fox St as possible. It became apparent that most of the trees that could be kept were the younger and smaller ones as the older ones were found to be in poor condition.
‘‘We have planted native plants and trees within the village and our landscape plan for the new pavilion includes several natives.
‘‘Most of the bush was unkempt and full of litter and debris, having been self-seeded over many decades. Hamilton City Council had not done any maintenance of this stretch along Fox St and most of the trees were in poor shape,’’ he said.
Unlike traditional retirement models, Roseland Park residents obtain an ownership stake in the village.
The website states that at Roseland Park, you own your own home, and the residents collectively own the village.
‘‘When we started Roseland we saw an opportunity for a new style of retirement village to be introduced to this part of Hamilton,’’ Yates said.
He said there were only 23 units left to be built with many already secured by buyers.