Trees coming out next week in Havelock North

Two sizeable golden elms will replace the two plane trees that have to come down in Havelock North to allow for bigger stormwater pipes to be installed.

Hastings District Council signalled in February that two trees on Karanema Dr would have to come out to allow for new larger pipes that would stop heavy rain storms from flooding the area.

Flood waters had periodically inundated the road, the nearby medical centre and fire station and during one large rain event the flooding affected a power transformer causing electrical damage.

Stormwater manager Matthew Kneebone said his team had been working closely with council’s parks team on a plan to replace the two 40-year-old trees.

The best option was two “reasonably large” golden elms, set further back from the road edge, “so we mitigate flooding issues in the future”, he said.

The plan council had formulated meant all but two of the trees along the drive would remain. The other options considered during the planning process would have meant losing many more trees, said Kneebone.

Existing underground systems also had to be taken into account, and the chosen plan avoided conflicting with those.

The parks team hoped to source two three metre-plus elms for the site.

The two plane trees are due to come out next week (week commencing May 11). That work should take about two days and there would be limited disruption to traffic, Kneebone said.

Work on installing the new stormwater pipes is due to start in early June.

The Havelock North Business Association and nearby businesses were consulted prior to the decisions on the work.

ENDS

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