Residents help shape decision on streetscape

Residents of Thornycroft Avenue in Lower Hutt are set to get a long-awaited new outlook as 14 Pohutakawa trees are removed from the street’s berm from this week.

Tree roots have damaged footpaths making them unsafe and disrupted other infrastructure such as underground pipes and overhead lines.

The trees removed will be replaced with Kowhai and Birch trees, species more suited to road-side conditions, when the winter planting season starts in June next year.

Removing the trees comes after extensive consultation with residents who have been actively involved in the decision-making process.

Council’s contracts manager Colin Lunn says street meetings to discuss residents views attracted up to 40 residents.

“The turnout was fantastic and the involvement from residents throughout this process has been impressive. It’s great to see people take such a keen interest in their streetscape.

“Many complaints have been received by council over the years from residents unhappy with the trees and the damage they’ve caused. It’s been great to work with residents on a solution to this problem,” he says.

​Work to remove the trees and prune/thin remaining trees is expected to take two to three weeks.The removal of unsuitable street trees and replanting of new ones is part of council’s Urban Forest Plan.