Anger as trees axed to make way for new Prahran vertical high school

PEOPLE living near Prahran’s new vertical high school are fuming that 20 mature gum trees have been chopped down to make way for it.

Neighbours are angry the trees have been cut down. Picture: Christine Olsen

NEIGHBOURS are fuming that 20 mature gum trees have been chopped down to make way for Prahran’s new vertical high school.

Work has begun to bulldoze the existing seven-storey building on the High St site to make way for the new school.

RELATED: Plans released for new vertical high school in Prahran

Toorak’s Christine Olsen said she was not opposed to the new school, but the Government’s decision to uproot the trees late last week was “so unnecessary”.

“They were just so beautiful,” Ms Olsen said.

“The oxygen alone was worth keeping them for. And then there’s the birds and the amenity.”

Earlier last week, Windsor’s Jen Schroeder called on the State Government to save the trees, some of which she said had been a feature of the area for decades.

Now you see them …

Now you don’t.

Speaking to the Leader before the trees’ removal, Prahran state Greens MP Sam Hibbins said he wrote to Education Minister James Merlino to request an urgent review of their removal.

However, John Ronan, spokesman for Mr Merlino, said the Government would replace the trees and was pleased to deliver a cutting-edge school for students.

“For every tree removed we will plant two new trees in the local community. We will work with local council to determine where they will go,” Mr Ronan said.

The new school will cater for 650 students, with the first intake of Year 7 students scheduled for the beginning of term one in 2019.