‘Bulls***’: White Rock man seethes at removal of trees to clear way for townhouses
A White Rock man has lashed out at developers and Cairns Regional Council over the decision to rip trees out of the front of a controversial site.
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White Rock resident Tony Boland stared crestfallen as an excavator ripped trees out of the ground in front of the site of a controversial development opposite his home on Skull Road.
“It’s bulls*** mate,” Mr Boland said.
“This morning I woke up looking at beautiful trees, and now look at it.”
The trees were being removed from a 33,660 square metre site in the suburb south of Cairns to allow for the installation of underground electrical cables ahead of the construction of 18 townhouses by developer Bohemia Investments.
Mr Boland said the trees should not have been removed.
He also said that the reason for the removal of the trees did not make any sense as there was nothing on the other side of the development to connect cables to.
Cairns Regional Council said the trees were being removed in accordance with approvals.
“The vegetation clearing occurring at the frontage of 35-41 Skull Road, White Rock, is approved in accordance with the relevant development permits and is required to enable installation of electrical infrastructure as part of the development of the site,” a council spokesperson said.
“There is a current development approval on the site for the reconfiguring of a 1 lot into 20 lots.”
Objection to tree removal is not the first time locals have been up in arms over the proposed development.
Original plans to build 36 three-bedroom units on the site, which lies just south of Cairns Golf Course, were revised after residents complained.
Mr Boland was no happier when told it was a condition of the work for developers to replant vegetation where the trees had been cut down.
“How are they going to do that after they put the power lines in?” he protested.
“Pigs might fly backwards.”
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Originally published as ‘Bulls***’: White Rock man seethes at removal of trees to clear way for townhouses
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