Central Otago District Council has approved the removal of three mature trees from Alexandra’s Centrepoint car park without public consultation, resolving a decade long dispute with local business owners. 

At the final council meeting of the year on Wednesday (December 17), councillors endorsed a Vincent Community Board recommendation to fell two claret ash trees and one liquidambar tree before autumn. 

Vincent Community Board Chair Jayden Cromb defended the decision to bypass public consultation on the topic, arguing the damage caused by the 30-year-old trees meant there was no realistic alternative.

Speaking during the community board chairs’ slot at the start of the meeting, Jayden asked the council to be pragmatic about when it engaged with the public. 

"We should consult when there is a meaningful choice, but just get on with the job when there's not," he said. 

Russell Ibbotson, a director of Limerick Properties Limited (LPL), which requested the removal, spoke during the public forum in support of the proposal. 

The decision was complicated by the site's unusual tenure, which includes a mix of public land and property owned by LPL. 

Deputy mayor and Vincent councillor Tracy Paterson said she was uncomfortable with elements of the proposal, warning that it could set a precedent around council liability.  

She was concerned the council could face similar claims elsewhere if private property damage caused by council trees was not carefully managed. 

To address this risk, councillors passed an additional motion directing the chief executive to investigate the ownership of the car park spaces and formalise a maintenance agreement for the site. 

Mayor Tamah Alley described the tenure arrangement as an "incredibly complex thing” and noted the loss of amenity that would result from the felling. 

"We know that in Alexandra, in Central Otago, a car park under a tree is one of the most coveted car parks in town in the summer," she said. 

Despite the shade value, she said the issue had been "floating around for 10 years", costing the council “time and money”. 

"There is a recommendation in front of us today that will deal with it once and for all,” she said. 

“I think possibly we need to rule a line under it and move forward.”

A report from parks and recreation manager Gordon Bailey detailed complaints from LPL about leaf litter causing drainage issues and tree roots creating trip hazards. 

Vincent councillor Martin McPherson supported the removal, citing the physical debris caused by the trees during high winds. 

"The day we first discussed this as a community board we had some extremely strong nor'westers come through and there were bits of those trees throughout that car park," he said. 

The removals are estimated to cost $10,000, with $20,000 already budgeted for the work. 

Under the council’s tree policy, the removals will require replacement planting, which will be addressed through a new landscaping plan.