Anger after Mosman Council contractor hedge ‘massacre’

A MOSMAN resident was upset when a council contractor ‘massacred’ her property’s hedge after a new bus shelter was installed.

The remains of a hedge after a new bus shelter was installed in Wyong Rd, Mosman. The resident was upset after council’s contractors ‘pruned’ her trees.

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A MOSMAN resident was reeling after what she described as the “shocking, irreversible destruction” of her property’s hedge by a council contractor.

The contractor cut the hedge last week, after the upgrade of a bus shelter outside the boundary fence. Adshel replaced the bus shelter as part of the council’s bus shelter renewal program.

Anne-Marie Zukerman has lived in Wyong Rd for three years. She estimated the hedge had been over the footpath by 20cm.

“It doesn’t drop leaves or anything ... it’s up so high it doesn’t even touch the roof of the bus stop,” she said.

The remains of the “massacred” hedge in Wyong Rd, Mosman.

Close-up of the hedge.

Mrs Zukerman said she supported the bus shelter upgrade, but what had happened to the hedge was upsetting. “The hedge is for privacy ... as well as stopping our children’s balls from going onto the busy road,” she said.

“It is very tall and has been there for many, many years. We were advised that the council would be ‘pruning’ the hedge to make way for the new bus shelter.

“The shelter went in last Thursday (February 1), but it was not til Monday (February 5) that their contractors ‘pruned’ our hedge.”

Mrs Zukerman said the council gave three weeks’ warning. “They told my husband that he had three weeks ... But it’s really high and he doesn’t have the tools. My husband does the gardening,” she said.

“Given that the people who came and did the terrible job had to have a crane ... I don’t know how they thought my husband was going to do it.”

Mrs Zukerman said she shouted “stop” at the contractors when she saw what they were doing. “My biggest gripe in this whole business is that somebody thought it was okay to massacre my trees,” she said.

What the hedge in Wyong Rd, Mosman used to look like before the installation of the new bus shelter. Picture: Google Street View

Council staff visited Mrs Zukerman’s house on February 7 to discuss a solution. She said she was “really happy” with the senior officer.

“They understood that I was upset and that it had been cut back more than we had anticipated,” she said.

The council’s spokeswoman said overhanging branches from private trees was a real issue, which could also cause neighbour disputes.

“To facilitate the upgrade of an existing bus stop, branches overhanging a footpath from a private tree had to be pruned,” the spokeswoman said.

“The resident was notified and given the option to prune it themselves or have council’s contractors undertake the work.

“The required pruning to the boundary was undertaken by council’s contractor under the supervision of a qualified arborist.

“While the tree may not be aesthetically pleasing in the short term, it will regenerate and council has offered to assist the resident with this matter.”