Latest news with #pōhutukawa
RNZ News
01-07-2025
- Politics
- RNZ News
Mayoral aspirant wants council apology over pōhutukawa wrangle
Councillor and mayoral aspirant Max Brough draws a line between two survey pegs he says indicate the pōhutukawa is on council land. Photo: Robin Martin A New Plymouth mayoral aspirant wants council to apologise for the treatment of his daughter who has been caught up in a wrangle over who is responsible for a 100-year-old pōhutukawa tree. Alana Brough owns a property on Ballance Street where contractors have reduced a 15-metre pōhutukawa to an ugly stump to protect the electricity network. She called in McKinlay Surveyors to peer review an earlier survey of the property to confirm the tree was on council property and therefore its responsibility to maintain and keep out of the power lines. Alana Brough said it was a matter of principle. "I just want to make it 100 percent clear where the boundary line is and that the tree is on their land." Council Manager Parks and Open Spaces Conrad Pattison has been adamant this week that council was not responsible for the tree. "We didn't plant the tree, nor did we seek its removal. As it is primarily on private land and is not protected, the landowner can have it removed at their own cost." Pattison said council used GIS mapping to determine that the tree trunk was located and the peer-reviewed survey would not change its position. Alana Brough. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin The McKinlay Surveyors peer-review was unequivocal. "I certify that the position of the boundary splay for Lot 1 Deposited Plan 8306, being 50 Ballance Street, Lower Vogeltown, New Plymouth, was surveyed and confirmed under my direction on 1 July 2025, and that the base of the pōhutukawa tree close to that boundary is located wholly outside the boundary of Lot 1 DP 8306." First-term councillor and mayoral aspirant, Max Brough, who had an interest in the property via family trust, now wanted an apology from council. "The survey very clearly shows that the tree is on council land and has always been on council land. I feel that council have behaved in a manner that is unbefitting of a large organisation. It's caused a lot of hate in the community, a lot of anger has come out. "What's gone on here is wrong. The tree not straddling the boundary, it's not on our property. It is not the responsibility of myself or my daughter. Real simple." Pattison said the Broughs' peer-reviewed survey made no difference. "It is her right as a private landowner to get a survey done at any time. We didn't do a survey but used GIS mapping to determine that the tree trunk was located on a shared boundary with the road reserve. Pattison said council's primary consideration from the start was that the tree posed no safety issue that would require council to remove it, which was why Alana Brough was advised she could remove the tree, but at her own cost. "The updated survey information has no bearing on the decision made." Max Brough said he was preparing a letter for council with his lawyers. Council said it had not received anything official from councillor Brough to respond to as yet. A sign warning an emergency protection order has been made for the tree. Photo: Robin Martin "We stand by our decision and used the tools available to us to inform that decision, and the advice provided to Ms Brough." A sign has also appeared on the tree warning an application for an emergency tree protection order has been made and no further work could be done to remove the trunk pending a decision from council. The NPDC said it was not aware of the sign and the council did not place it. Meanwhile, a pōhutukawa specialists and director of Thrive Spaces and Places, Geoff Canham, questioned whether putting the power lines on Ballance Street underground had been considered. "Typically in this situation what used to happen was power companies would underground their power lines and have a programme that meant this didn't become a problem for residents and councils. "Once upon a time there was a programme for our most beautiful streets and communities, which are revered, to not have utilities and services that look ugly anyway, affecting the very nature and human habitat where we live." Canham, who had four decades' experience in the parks and recreation sector, said prior to regulatory changes in the 90s power companies would invest more heavily back in the network. "One of their main roles was to ensure that their network was resilient and we used to use resilience language around making sure that some streets that were heavily tree-lined were undergrounded and that power went underground both for aesthetic reasons and resilience, but mainly so the power company wouldn't have issues when the wind blew." Canham said that changed when power companies became shareholder-owned businesses. A prophetic banner that has appeared on the tree in recent days. Photo: Robin Martin "Once you're on the stock market those imperatives change. It's all about profit. It's not about what's good for the system or for communities. And that was a dramatic change, and I worked for councils then, and everything completely turned around in terms of the role of a power company in your community." Lines company Powerco, who's contractors removed the Ballance Street pōhutukawa's limbs, said moving power lines underground was an expensive exercise. "With more than 29,000km of electricity lines and cables connecting homes and businesses, including rural areas, placing all existing overhead electricity supply underground would be very costly - a cost that would need to be shared by all our electricity customers through their power bills." The company said underground power lines could also be more challenging and expensive to maintain and repair compared to overhead lines. "When issues arise, it is often easier and quicker to access and fix overhead lines." The process of undergrounding power lines also involved significant logistical challenges and certain terrain and environments were not suitable for underground cables. Powerco said power supplies at all new subdivisions in its network area were, however, placed underground. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
30-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Destruction of 100-year-old pōhutukawa 'a travesty'
Ballance Street resident Kirsty Porter gives the remnants of the century old pōhutukawa a hug. It should not have been cut down, she and other New Plymouth residents say. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin An award-winning landscape designer has weighed into a stoush over the felling of a 100-year-old pōhutukawa to clear it from powerlines in New Plymouth. Michael Mansvelt says the multi-trunk tree could have been managed and kept, but has instead been sacrificed, part of a pattern he believes is being repeated across a city famed for its gardens. Award-winning designer Michael Mansvelt says the destruction of a 100-year-old pōhutukawa tree in New Plymouth is 'a travesty'. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin The chainsaws of Powerco contractors came for the 15-metre high pōhutukawa on Ballance Street during last week's downpour. The tree had fallen victim to a dispute over who was responsible for maintaining it - the homeowner - whose berm it was growing on - or the council. The overgrown pōhutukawa tree being removed. Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin Michael Mansvelt - who had been in the design business for three decades and was the author of several books - was gutted at its demise. "It's really sad. I feel really frustrated. We're a garden city. We are known all around the world for excellence in horticulture. People come here to enjoy Taranaki and New Plymouth Ngāmotu especially for our gardens, and the fact that this tree is gone is a travesty and it didn't need to happen." He believed the pōhutukawa could have been made safe without destroying it. "These trees are metrosideros is the name which means ironwood. In Cyclone Bola, when I was a very young gardener it was the pōhutukawa and Norfolk pines that weren't affected. "We know that selective pruning could've easily removed branches that were anywhere near the powerlines. I note two or three limbs that could've been removed very easily without destroying the canopy." Mansvelt says the selective pruning of pūriri trees near the pōhutukawa was an example of good arbory practice. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin Mansvelt said it was ironic that pūriri trees lining neighbouring Selwyn Street just a few metres away had been selectively trimmed to keep them out of powerlines. "This one of our only tree-lined streets here in New Plymouth and we've got some beautiful pūriri here, but they've been limbed really effectively, they've been limbed away from the power line, so anything that was approaching the power lines has been cut off right at the base and that means it won't grow back. This is what we would call in the industry good horticultural or good arbory practice." Trees are frequently trimmed to keep them away from powerlines, without needing to take down the whole tree, Mansvelt says. Photo: RNZ/ Robin Martin Alana Brough, who was quoted $10,000 to have the pōhutukawa trimmed, owns the Ballance Street property. The daughter of district councillor and mayoral aspirant Max Brough, she said the tree was on council land - but the NPDC would concede it straddled the public land and her property. Alana Brough had been battling the council over the giant pōhutukawa. Photo: RNZ / Robin Martin Brough would have preferred a more aesthetically pleasing outcome. "I think it could've been sculptured and made a little bit smaller so it wasn't posing a risk to the power lines, but the fact the council wanted nothing to do with it meant it was really hard to come to a mutual resolution, so Powerco have then come in and done what they think is right, that doesn't mean to say that suits everyone's opinion as we're finding out." Brough said it was unclear if Powerco contractors would return to remove "the ugly stump", but if they didn't it would soon start to sprout again and at that point it could be maintained into a safer tree. Kirsty Porter lived across the road where she had a view from her living room of the tree her children had grown up playing in. She was not happy. Ballance Street resident Kirsty Porter's children grew up playing in the pōhutukawa. Photo: Supplied/ Kirsty Porter "I was shocked that was happening, that the entire tree was coming down rather than being trimmed. But here we are," Porter said. "It happened on the worst weather day in New Plymouth, which was also a surprise given that one of the reasons given ... was a safety issue with the tree. "I was grateful for the heavens actually, because I think they were proving a point that the tree shouldn't have been cut down completely." Mansvelt said there had to be a better way. "Looking at this case I feel that everybody could've compromised a bit more. I feel like there should be room for negotiation and there should be room for a discussion. "The council have admitted it was a grey area, it was questionably on their land, but just to carte blanche cut a tree down just makes no real sense. This is a 100-year-old tree." The stump of the pōhutukawa tree. Photo: RNZ/Robin Martin In a statement, New Plymouth District Council parks and open spaces manager Conrad Pattison was adamant that the council - with 3000 street trees and countless specimen trees in parks, reserves and on other land it administers - was not responsible for the Ballance Street pōhutukawa. "We didn't plant the tree, nor did we seek its removal. As it is primarily on private land and is not protected, the landowner can have it removed at their own cost." Meanwhile, Powerco said trees caused one in five power cuts on its electricity network each year. "Overgrown trees interfere with power lines and make it difficult for our crews to restore power, also in high winds and storms, branches blowing into power lines cause power outages." The lines company said tree owners were responsible for maintaining their trees and when a tree posed an immediate danger, Powerco must have consent from the tree owner to undertake mitigative action. "Trees that have a history of interrupting power supply and pose an ongoing risk to the network that have not [been] maintained according to tree owner obligations are assessed on a case-by-case basis. Tree owner consent to undertake mitigative actions is still required. "Regarding the pōhutukawa on Ballance Street, the decision to remove the tree was based on the balance of risk and impact to the electricity network." Powerco said through its Replant for Tomorrow initiative, it had an ongoing commitment to supporting native tree planting in communities on its network. "Last year, more than 18,000 trees were planted to help offset the trees that were removed from around the network that were growing too close to the power lines.". 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RNZ News
22-05-2025
- RNZ News
Napier fisherman plans to skirt round beach barriers: ‘We pay a s***load of rates'
Days after they were installed, vandals removed them and destroyed 38 pōhutukawa trees. Photo: LDR/Linda Hall Steve Dean says he'll drive the long way along the beach to his usual fishing spot, despite what he perceives as the threat of a $400 fine. His access has now been blocked by wooden barriers erected by Napier City Council along Marine Parade, from the National Aquarium of NZ to the Pump Track. "The council is treating us like sheep," he said. "We pay a s***load of rates, and then they tell us where we can and can't go. "Now they have locked us out." Dean understood why the council prevented vehicle access to the beach, but "there must be some way around it for sensible people". "Why can't we have a key for the barriers?" he said. "The fishermen are not causing any damage. "We drive to our spots with our fishing gear, fish and then leave." The council said the barriers were put up to prevent vehicles from tearing up the grass and destroying trees. Just days after they were installed, vandals in 4WD vehicles removed them and mowed down 38 pōhutukawa trees. Council said the damage would cost $20,000 to fix. "It's not the fishing community hooning up and down the beach, or destroying trees," Dean said. He had fished from the same spot for 15 years, taking the same path there and back. On a recent visit, he claimed a woman out for a run approached his group and said she worked at the council. "She told us that cameras were going to be installed and that anyone caught parking on the beach would be fined $400. "She also asked us if we knew anything about the trees being destroyed." A Napier City Council spokesperson said the only camera near the area was already in place at the pump track. "We have no plans to install any other cameras. Incidents of wilful damage to council property are reported to police and fines of $400 can be issued for it." A spokesperson said the Council Parks and Reserves Bylaw 2021 (part 9) said "except in areas designated or provided for that purpose, no person must on any part of any reserve, including waterways within reserves park, ride or drive any vehicle or cart, motorcycle, power cycle or cycle of any kind". Would fishermen be fined if they drove on the beach to their usual fishing spot? That depends, a council spokesperson said. "Fines are set by the court, if a person is prosecuted for breaching any bylaw." Dean said the fishing community was not trying to cause trouble. "We just want to find a fair solution," he said. "We can't just move spots. "People like me, who have been fishing in the same spot for years, can't suddenly encroach on someone else's spot." The Napier resident said he loved fishing. "It's relaxing, I catch up with friends, watch the sun come up and, if I catch too many fish for my family, I give some away. "It's a good feeling helping people put healthy food on their table." A council spokesperson said the timber barriers were installed after complaints from nearby residents and members of the public, and if fishermen wanted to discuss it, they should contact the council's customer service team. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
RNZ News
10-05-2025
- Climate
- RNZ News
Erosion threatens to wash away Russell's waterfront
The erosion is threatening to undermine the Strand, Russell's waterfront road. Photo: Supplied / Sue Fitzmaurice Ongoing erosion, accelerated by Cyclone Tam's big swells and high winds, is threatening to wash away the waterfront of one of New Zealand's most historic towns. Russell resident and former Prime Minister Jenny Shipley said options for protecting Russell's vanishing beachfront were already being investigated when last month's wild weather suddenly gave the project urgency. She said the shore had been receding for about the past 18 months, with erosion starting to undermine the road reserve and a historic cannon. It was also exposing the roots of the pōhutukawa trees that lined the town's waterfront. Erosion is exposing tree roots along Russell's waterfront. Photo: Supplied / Sue Fitzmaurice "Then Cyclone Tam came along and coincided with some very high spring tides and an onshore wind. There's been a very big impact in the last three weeks," she said. As a short-term measure, the Far North District Council had sandbagged and placed rock fill in the worst area, just below the cannon. Shipley said a working group had already been discussing possible solutions with the council and Far North Holdings. "We thought we had time… and of course it never goes as fast as I would like it to, but this is not a straightforward question. We do need to get best advice, then try and find money to remediate it." If nothing was done, the beachfront road and buildings would eventually be threatened. "With every high tide that's got an onshore wind, it's posing more risk to the road reserve." Erosion opposite Russell's Town hall, before temporary repairs were carried out. Photo: Supplied / Sue Fitzmaurice Shipley said there were many theories in Russell about what was contributing to the erosion. Those theories included rainwater from buildings running across the road instead of going into stormwater drains, or changes to tidal action caused by the wharf's floating pontoons. Expert advice so far was that there was no single significant factor, she said. The erosion is worst around the historic cannon, opposite Russell Town Hall. Photo: Supplied / Jenny Shipley The working group included representatives of the Russell Wharf Trust, the local community board and placemaking group, Kororāreka Marae, businesses, the council and Far North Holdings, with herself as chair representing the Russell Destination Management Team. The hoped to come up with a medium-term solution in July or August, which would then be discussed with Russell residents and stakeholder groups. How quickly it could be implemented would depend on the cost, she said. The council was also investigating whether central government assistance would be available given that it involved storm damage to a road. Ultimately, the working group aimed to restore the gentle slope that used to run down onto the shingle beach. "It is a long term issue. It will be potentially costly, so we have to be mindful that we've got to then find those funds or take our turn," she said. Emergency repairs aim to protect Russell's waterfront from further erosion until a solution is found. Photo: Supplied / Sue Fitzmaurice Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
