Palms gone - but they'll be replaced

The palm trees that have graced Greytown's Humphries St for many years are being felled because they were growing into power lines.

The phoenix palms lining the street were stripped of their fronds on Thursday after Powerco and South Wairarapa District Council deemed them a fire hazard.

While Humphries St may have a reduced fire risk, a Greytown woman said the township was less attractive now the palm trees were gone.

Angela Duncan was upset to discover the trees being removed on Thursday morning - and said the council's decision to cut them down came right out of the blue.

"I met up with my girlfriend for a coffee at about 9am, and she said 'did you see they're chopping down those beautiful trees?"' said Ms Duncan, who has lived in Greytown for 10 years.

"I had no idea. There were no notifications. No letterbox drops, or anything like that. My friend went into the service station on Humphries St, and they had no idea either. They just went ahead and cut down those lovely trees and didn't tell anyone."

Ms Duncan said that the palms were "a beautiful statement" and added value to the street and the town as a whole. "They were gorgeous," she said.

"Without them, it looks completely bare. If you drive down Humphries St now, it looks awful.

"They would have taken years to grow, as well. I can't see why the council couldn't have transferred them somewhere else."

She said people often entered Greytown from Humphries St when driving north from Wellington - and that Greytown was now looking less attractive. "It doesn't look good, as you're coming in.

"The pavements are all needing repair, for example. From that end, you can tell Greytown has been neglected."

Council amenities manager Helen McNaught said the council had received a request from Powerco under the Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003 in July to either remove or trim the palms.

"Council staff considered the alternative of putting the power lines underground, but this was not found to be cost-effective," said Ms McNaught.

Council sought approval from Greytown Community Board, which moved that the trees be felled at its July meeting. Minutes from that meeting were posted on the council's website, and a notice the trees were to be felled was put on its Facebook page.

The community board asked council officers to seek community input as to which trees should replace the palms.

Greytown people have posted several suggestions on council's Facebook page for replacement trees, including kowhai, maples and fruit trees.