Rotorua residents relieved as removal of dangerous trees nears end

Pukehangi Rd residents can now see the light. Photo / Stephen Parker

Residents in Rotorua's Blomfield Gully say they are thrilled with the job the local council has done felling the large trees that have caused them grief for so long.

Ray Smith, who lives directly under where the trees have been chopped, said he and his wife Adair were always concerned one of the "huge" 18 eucalyptus trees would come down in an easterly.

"It was always a bug bear for us, especially when there was easterlies, northeasterlies or southeasterlies, it was always in the back of the mind – 'are one of these going to come down?', because we were just so close," Smith said.

He said the council had done a brilliant, methodical job and it was looking good.

Eucalyptus trees in the Blomfield Gully had long been a bone of contention for residents. Photo / file

Smith said the trees used to block out a great deal of sun and the leaves and bark that fell from them were a huge annoyance.

"In the winter they blocked out most of the sun in the mornings and we were awfully shaded by them and of course the leaves and bark," Smith said.

The Rotorua Lakes Council said in a statement in response to questions that the work to remove the eucalyptus trees in Blomfield Gully was on track and the council expected to finish the work by March 30.

Rotorua Lakes Council expects work to be completed by March 30. Photo / File

The council said it had one objection to the project following the first notification to the neighbourhood in November last year and this was responded to at the time.

It is expected that planting will be done in the area between July and September. There are a number of native species that will be used to further enhance the native planting that was carried out in the area about 20 years ago.