‘Good news, but this fight ain’t over’: 83 trees at Glenside Hospital earmarked for the chop are safe, for now

DOZENS of trees deemed to be significant that are facing the axe at the former Glenside Hospital site have been given a reprieve. Here’s what has saved them, at least in the short term.

18/2/17 Rally — Save Glenside Hospital Trees. Picture Roger Wyman

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PLANS to axe dozens of trees from the former Glenside Hospital site have been put on hold, offering a “reprieve” for groups campaigning against the razing.

The Development Assessment Commission (DAC) yesterday deferred a decision on developer Cedar Woods’ application to raze the significant and regulated trees from the 17ha hospital site.

Minutes of the meeting — which was closed to the public — showed the commission had asked the developer to provide a “more detailed rationale” to justify axing the trees.

Cedar Woods had argued the trees needed to be cleared to properly remediate the site before it can be transformed into a 1000-home estate, to happen over the next decade.

Community group Help Save The Glenside Trees and the Adelaide Central School of Art — which is based at Glenside — have in recent weeks held protest rallies, tying yellow ribbons around trees marked for removal.

Protest convener Barry Barber today described DAC’s decision as a “step in the right direction”.

“It is good news … but the fight ain’t over yet,” Mr Barber said.

“The commission obviously have some doubts and sensibly want to look at it more closely.”

Greens leader Mark Parnell, who addressed the DAC meeting, said the decision was “an important interim win for the trees and the community”.

“This is a reprieve for the Glenside trees, but they are still at risk,” Mr Parnell said.

“This gives the community time to put pressure on the State Government — as owner of the land — and the developer to incorporate more of these magnificent trees into their plans.”

Planning Department staff had recommended DAC approve Cedar Woods’ application, stating in a report that the razing was “required to make the site suitable for its intended use”.

However, approval should be conditional on the developer planting almost 200 “semi-mature” replacement trees at the site, the report stated.

Cedar Woods have been contacted for comment.