Neighbours should plant their own trees

Stuff reports:

A man who has battled Auckland officials for 10 years for the go-ahead to remove a dangerous norfolk pine is amazed a similar tree is being felled without permission.

Paul Walker has been rejected twice for resource consent to cut down the scheduled tree in his Otahuhu front yard, and is now appealing to the Environment Court.

Several large branches have blown off the tree and landed near the Station Road house.

One also fell on the footpath in front of the property, while cones from the norfolk pine have smashed roof tiles.

The moment branches are coming off and hitting the house, the owner should be able to trim or fell the tree.

However the independent commissioners assessing his latest resource consent application last year said removing the tree would have “an adverse effect on visual amenity within the neighbourhood”.

The neighbourhood can plant their own trees if they want.