Work is underway to remove up to eight trees from the grounds of Wellington Girls College. Photo: Bill Hickman
- Residents said the felling of trees at Wellington Girls' College will damage the suburb's character
- Locals say they've "had enough" after weeks of noise from construction at the school's grounds
- The school's principal says it's obliged to maintain the grounds
Residents near a Wellington college say the felling of trees bordering the school's grounds is a step too far after weeks of noise and dust from ongoing construction.
But the school's principal said it is the school's obligation to maintain the grounds and locals were treating the school as their own "personal park".
Large works have been underway on the grounds after the school's biggest teaching block was revealed to be earthquake prone in April last year.
The Ministry of Education notified residents that crews at Wellington Girls' College would begin tree removal with just over a weeks notice.
One local - who did not want to be named - said the letter arrived too late to allow any chance for consultation and gave little indication of the extent of the work.
"They're lovely old trees. [The principal] explained that they weren't obliged to consult because it's on their property but taking six to eight trees down on a short piece of street - where we're all part of the same community - just doesn't feel quite right to me and once they're down they're down you can't replace them."
Construction is ongoing at the college. Photo: Bill Hickman
The letter said the felling would be completed by the end of the week but the grounds would be inaccessible until the end of April when construction of a court cover was scheduled to be completed.
The resident said the ministry provided scant information as to the number of trees being removed and it was only after she approached workers that she learned how many trees would be removed.
"The letter they sent tells you absolutely nothing and assumes you are part of the school and know what they're talking about," she said.
Reg Barrett had lived across the road from the school on Moturoa St for the last 27 years.
He said the destruction of the trees would lower amenity values of the street and "damage the character" of his neighbourhood.
"I'm not a tree hugger by any stretch of the imagination but the trees are a part of the character of the street and they provide a little bit of privacy and the look and feel of our little road.
"We've been confronted for some time with heavy machinery, dust and noise. Consultation has been trifling - to say the least - and this is just an extension of the Ministry of Education just going ahead without discussing the impact this may have on neighbours," Barrett said.
Principal Julia Davidson said schools took down trees all the time as a part of their property maintenance and some of the trees being affected had died.
"There's a turf redevelopment happening and so we need to remove some of trees to make that happen and while we're doing that it's also a case of 'right let's get rid of the dead one's while we can'.
"We do try and look after the property as well as we can and - in this case - I think they think their view's going to be affected or something [but] it's pretty ugly at the moment," Davidson said.
Prefab buildings at the site of Wellington Girls' College. Photo: RNZ / Samuel Rillstone
The work would allow the expansion of hockey and netball courts, Davidson said, and provide an all weather turf for physical education and health teaching.
She said the dense urban location and the school's ongoing struggles with earthquake prone structures meant space for students was at a premium.
"We don't have any space so we need an all weather turf that we can use. With the huge property problems we've got this is a way forward that the ministry agreed would be useful."
Davidson said the school was working to manage the trees they had and there would be replanting included in the work.
"Trees grow, trees die, trees need to be removed, trees can be replanted. Sometimes a tree has to go but we're trying to replant them so the place will look lovely not just for the neighbours but also for us.
"We wouldn't be expecting them to consult us if they were going to drop a tree [on their property]. I think they think of the school as like their own personal park that they just enjoy but we just have to look after it, to manage it."
Residents notified - ministry
A Ministry of Education spokesperson said residents had been notified of the work last week although "permission was not required" from residents in the area.
The spokesperson said the removal of some trees and the trimming of others would allow the construction of an all-weather cover over the school's netball court.
Work was on track to provide replacement teaching spaces after the school's Brook Block was closed last year.
"Five offsite-manufactured, double-storey modulars are being delivered in time for the start of Term One, providing an additional 14 classrooms and admin spaces. Each classroom can house up to 30 students. The new classrooms will provide all the additional space needed by the school following the closure of Brook Block," the spokesperson said.
Additional earthquake strengthening on the college's Pipitea block was due to be completed in March.
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