16 Feb 2019

Auckland Council to use emergency powers to cut down 10 pine trees

6:52 pm on 16 February 2019

Some Auckland residents say they are exhausted and stressed after a month fighting council plans to fell nearby pine trees.

The pines at Western Springs that are due to be cut down.

The pines at Western Springs that are due to be cut down. Photo: RNZ / Tom Furley

The Auckland Council is seeking resource consent to fell 203 trees in Western Springs, and are using emergency powers under the Unitary Plan to cut down 10 it says pose health and safety risks.

[Residents at the park's boundary have fought to protect the trees but the council intends to remove them next week.

A Westview Road resident, Deborah Manning, said they are worn down and exhausted after a month of research and seeking advice from independent experts in a bid to protect the trees.

"Residents in the community feel like we have been in a state of invented crisis for the last month over supposed emergency tree works," she said.

"All residents are pleading for is for decisions about significant ecological areas to be made on the best information and to be shared with residents and the community affected by those decisions."

She wants the council to establish an ecological management plan and will be making a submission to the resource consent hearing commission on Monday.

The community facilities general manager at the Auckland Council, Rod Sheridan, said it is working towards a good faith agreement with residents.

Mr Sheridan said the council was doing its best to keep the impact on the environment to a minimum.

Ms Manning said the residents will present their views at a local board meeting next week.

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