Supermarket giant Progressive Enterprises appears determined to go ahead with plans to fell five pohutukawa trees lining its new Belgium Street site despite protest from the community.

“One of the aims of the development is to provide an active and vibrant street frontage along Belgium Street so unfortunately we were unable to incorporate the five pohutukawa trees as they stand today,” Progressive spokesperson Luke Schepen said after being asked if the matter would be reconsidered.

The proposal was included in Progressive’s resource consent application, which says the company will plant two new trees and carry out extensive landscaping in mitigation.

Waiheke based Auckland Council planners Antony Yates and Nicole Bremner recommended the application for limited notification at the end of last year – generally deeming the development’s effects to be “no more than minor”. 

But the community thinks otherwise with a number of letters to Gulf News, including one from nine-year old Leo Saul, and comments in the street illustrating mounting levels of concern.

“I’d prefer it if they didn’t cut them down. At the minimum they should have them put somewhere else. 

“It seems to me there’s enough space for the supermarket entrance and exit,” said Ostend holiday resident Nicole Roberton. Blackpool resident Judith Baragwanath and Onetangi resident Tilley Dunstan were both even more angry about the arbitrary removal of the well-grown trees.

Okahuiti Ostend Residents Association chairperson Paul Waldren is dissappointed the council decided on limited notification only, deeming the effects to be “no more than minor”.

“I echo the sentiments of young Leo Saul that this building has no Waiheke flavour. When one looks at the site today, the most attractive things there are these trees.

“It is outrageous that our planning process today for this massive development on Waiheke is driven by a multinational enterprise that has a New Zealand turnover in excess of $5.4 billion, and provides for no input from a community which has clearly expressed a desire to be involved,” he said.

Mr Walden said there was little the association could do, short of funding a judicial review of the decision for limited notification – which would cost upwards of $10,000.

He said he would have thought it appropriate to move the trees to provide for some urban appeal for the site but the community was being left instead with a big box-style shop frontage.

Not according to Progressive though, which maintains its design is “sympathetic to and recognises the character of Ostend village”.

“The proposed street front features an outdoor plaza creating easy access to the supermarket, five retail shops and  abus stop.

“We will be undertaking extensive landscaping including the use of planters at the front of the building and we will also be placing two new pohutukawa trees within the footpath build outs into Belgium Street.

“We feel the proposed landscaping will compliment the design of the building, which uses neutral light colours and timber facades to complement existing Waiheke architecture,” Mr Schepen says.

Planner for Progressive Enterprises, Jane Douglassaid alternative access options to the site were extremely limited, with Putiki Road not viable because of its residential nature and the likely traffic generated.

”The urban design/planning context for the site has activised the main frontage of the site as required by council,” she added.

Neither Mr Yates nor Ms Bremner were available for response due to sickness and holiday leave but council officer Aaron Putt told Gulf News the plan to fell the trees was not a foregone conclusion.

He said it was a proposal put forward in the application details that would have to be assessed at the time of considering the application overall for consent. • Diana Worthy