Eve Jeffery
Ballina Shire councillors yesterday voted unanimously to save a remnant rainforest tree that has become a thorn in the side of the developers of Wollongbar’s Avalon Estate.
The teak tree, which is in good condition and almost 30 metres high, straddles two undeveloped blocks at Clovelly Place.
It was the second time the developers had sought approval to remove the tree, the last remaining mature plant in the development, on the grounds that it would pose them problems to work around it.
A previous application to council to remove it was refused and that position was clearly reinforced at yesterday’s appeal.
Councillors were united in their incomprehension as to why the teak needed to go and an aerial view of the estate shows that the landscape around the tree is barren of anything but roofs and manicured lawns.
Issues that Council considered were that it is the only mature tree retained within the estate, that the tree provided value to the urban landscape and that the tree itself was in good health and, with care, it could live for another century.
Other points in the teak’s favour were its role as habitat for local birdlife and that even with the tree standing, development of the two blocks surrounding it was still possible.
It took only a split second for councillors to save the tree – interestingly, literature on the issue filled 57 pages of yesterday’s meeting notes.
SO happy to read of this decision, what is WRONG with the ppl wanting to kill this beauty–???
I just hope some fool doesnt poison it on the quiet now Council is making the better choice. Its shameful that the developer hasnt planted rainforest on the site somewhere.
Developers must be a different species.
Apparently the only thing that ‘lives’ for them is the dollar.
What sort of maniacs are these developers?