Carpark extension given green light in Avoca

Published on 19 August 2022

Council has voted to proceed with plans to extend the carpark and install an electric vehicle charging station in High Street, Avoca.

The carpark extension is part of the Avoca Streetscape Plan adopted by Council in 2018. This plan requires pine trees in the centre of the street to be removed. New trees will be planted and will be in keeping with the theme of the streetscape.

Some members of the community have expressed concerns about the removal of these trees. Based on this feedback, Council gave further consideration to the merits of retaining, removing, partially removing, or staging the removal of the trees.

The pine trees grow to a large size. They are not suitable for street planting and will inevitably cause damage to the concrete kerb, carpark surface and potentially the EV station if they are not removed. There is also a risk of limbs falling on parked cars as the trees mature.

For these reasons, the decision was taken to remove the trees as originally planned. While the shade and amenity that the trees currently provide will be lost until the replacement trees are established, removing the trees before they reach full maturity was considered to be a cost effective decision.