City stops work on estate fury as rare trees trashed

Alex de Vos
Environment groups yesterday slammed a developer for illegally removing native trees at Ocean Grove.
Geelong Environment Coun-cil’s Joan Lindros said she was “extremely disappointed” the Goandra site developer had cut down more than 30 trees including rare Bellarine yellow gums.
“A planning panel clearly said the vegetation along Thacker Street had to be retained – it’s of national significance,” Ms Lindros said.
“It’s hard to understand how this could be misinterpreted.”
City of Greater Geelong announced on Wednesday it had halted work on a residential development of the site after discovering the trees’ removal.
Ms Lindros urged Geelong’s (not to be confused with Environemtn Council) to impose harsh penalties.
“The damage has been done and the developers must suffer the consequences,” she said.
“They should be fined and work should not continue until the issue has been resolved and the developer has made amends.”
Save Ocean Grove Environment Group’s Lewis Luxton said he was “saddened” at the destruction.
“The developer’s estimation of the removal of 30 trees is grossly inaccurate,” Mr Luxton said.
“It’s not a matter of the number of trees being removed; it’s the fact that the streetscape has been severely damaged.
“We believe council should apply a severe penalty because there’s been a definite transgression of two acts of parliament.”
Ocean Grove councillor Jan Farrell confirmed the trees’ removal “was not in accordance with endorsed landscape plan for the development”.
Council “had not discounted the possibility of fines”, she said.
“It appeared there had been a misunderstanding in the developer’s interpretation of the landscape plan applying to the site.”
The developer did not return the Independent’s call for comment before the paper went to press yesterday.