Gore district councillors have called a halt to planting replacement trees in Gore’s Main St until a public survey can be completed.

At a council meeting last week a petition organised by resident Peter Woods was on the agenda.

Mr Woods collected more than 140 signatures from business owners and staff in the Gore business area who would sooner have parking spaces in Main St than trees.

At a council meeting in 2021 councillors approved a plan to remove three dawn redwood trees on the west side of Main St which were causing infrastructure damage and affecting overhead wires.

Business owners had been talked to and unhappy about the foliage the trees shed and other problems they created, were glad to see them go.

It was proposed the redwoods would be replaced with flowering crab apple trees, which would be planted inside a pillowcase-like structure which would limit their growth and the ability of the roots to cause structural damage.

Three crab apple trees have since been planted on the west side of the street.

In 2022 councillors approved a plan to remove the redwoods on the opposite side of the street.

Those 11 trees have also been removed, some of the stumps removed and it is planned to plant more crab apples trees in the holes left.

During the discussion Cr Robert McKenzie asked Mr Woods if any of the businesses approached supported the trees being planted.

Mr Woods replied only two businesses supported the trees being planted.

“There was about four people who said they liked trees and the rest all wanted parks.”

Cr Richard McPhail asked the cost of the replacement trees.

Council parks and recreation manager Keith McRobie said he believed the figure of $50,000 per tree was being “bandied around the community”.

“It’s fair to say that is way off the mark.

“I can’t give you an exact figure but it is about $6000 to $8000 per tree.”

Cr Paul McPhail said he had been talking to business owners and there were concerns about the crab apples dropping fruit and leaves on the footpath.

When the redwoods were planted 30 years ago they were seen to be an appropriate tree to have growing in Main St, he said.

He wondered whether time would also reveal the crab apples were not a good choice.

Mr McRobie said after the research he had done he believed it was unlikely to be an issue.

Cr Glenys Dickson said she had read research that found shoppers spent 40% more time in an area where trees were planted.

“[Trees] make the atmosphere less stressful, more biodiverse, cleaner air, reduced noise, cooler in summer for people who need shade and it’s really good for collecting stormwater.”

It was important to have trees, she said.

“People come into our town and they really do admire the ambience and they love the trees and the gardens.”

Cr Bronwyn Reid said she agreed with Cr Dickson.

“It’s council policy at the moment to have trees replaced.”

Cr Joe Stringer suggested a compromise might be to plant bonsai trees.

The trees could then be put into storage during their annual leaf drop, he said.

Cr Paul McPhail said from his conversations with business owners they did not feel listened to.

“We do that at our peril.

“We’ve got to listen to the ratepayers and find out what they wanted.”

A recommendation was passed to survey business owners and the public. Crs Andy Fraser, Neville Phillips, John Gardyne, Reid and Dickson opposed the recommendation.

sandy.eggleston@theensign.co.nz