Grand old heritage trees could get the chop

By Mick Roberts

Grand old heritage trees, some towering over 18 metres and forming a canopy over Bourke Street Surry Hills, could get the chop under the City of Sydney Council’s cycleway plan.
The City News reported last week that while many residents praise the concept of an inner-city cycle path, not all are happy with Council’s community consultation process.
Inner-city residents say a glossy Council brochure fails to properly explain the dedicated 4.3 km bike path from Elizabeth Street in Zetland to Cowper Wharf Road in Woolloomooloo.
After repeated requests to Council for a detailed plan, and with less than three weeks remaining until the close of submissions on the proposal, Luke Harper says residents have been kept in the dark, and have not been able to make an informed decision. He has discovered a Council document recommending significant trees in his neighbourhood be removed to make way for the two lane dedicated cycle path.
Council say the document is only a working plan and is not the final outcome.
Although trees along the heritage listed Bourke Street are under consideration by Council for their heritage value, Mr Harper says, at least eight of them, between Cleveland and Margaret Streets, will be removed under the plan. Beside several trees getting the axe in his neighbourhood, he says seven trees in a row are identified for removal between Liverpool and Stanley Streets further along Bourke Street.
Although most feedback to Council had been in support of the cycleway, Mr Harper said those submissions had come from cycling groups, and not residents of Bourke Street.
‘The fact is that most residents of Bourke Street are not happy with the cycleway, and particularly the removal heritage trees,’ he said.
‘Residents have had no input into this proposal at all, and Council has tried to sneak it through with a glossy brochure.’
‘Residents feel as though they have been conned, and they are angry,’ Mr Harper said.
In contrast bicycling groups have thrown their support behind the route.
Bikeast spokesman John O’Neill said the route would provide residents with a safe place to ride bikes and reduce the need for car use.
‘Sydney is way behind Melbourne when it comes to cycling infrastructure,’ Mr O’Neill said.
‘With a cycleway along Bourke Street, residents will enjoy the amenities of cycling as they do in cities of comparable size,’ he said.
He said the width of Bourke Street made it suitable for cycling.
Also supporting the cycleway is Greens councillor Chris Harris, who told The City News ‘it was the right option’.
Cr Harris said over 500 trees grew along Bourke Street and the removal of 12 to make way for the pathway ‘was a small number’.
Cr Harris said he preferred the option of removing a small number of exotic trees and replacing them with environmentally friendly native species.
Independent Councillor John McInerney also supports the route. He said that any project of this size creates complexities that Council will need to work through with the community.
‘There is a small section of about 100 metres in Surry Hills where the street narrows, but we are confident that we can accommodate the cycleway and maintain the heritage streetscape,’ Cr McInerney said.
Residents’ group, Friends of Bourke Street Trees, held a rally earlier this month protesting against the route.
Friends’ spokesperson Brian Noad said while councillors consider cutting down 12 trees out of about 530 a small number, residents considered each tree a treasure.
A Council spokesman said all efforts will be made to preserve the trees, with options including pruning or work to allow the path to go around them.
The cycle path will be located between the footpath and the parking lane on the western side of the street, separated from parked cars by a median strip.
The designs allow for parking on both sides of Bourke Street and would not change the current parking exemptions for residents.
Designs are still being finalised, the spokesman said, and at this stage no trees have been identified for removal.
Regular community updates will be provided about trees that may be affected and the options available, with feedback collected to finalise the plans. Advance trees will replace any removed, the spokesman said.
Cr McInerney said the plans are still at the draft stage.