METRONEWS
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Unpopular poplar trees

Antoinette Spicer
Poplar Trees
A resident looks at the unpopular poplars.  Antoinette Spicer

Paulger Courts Retirement Village residents want "ugly" and "dangerous" trees gone.

Village Residents' Group chairman George Young said the poplar trees that lined the stream running through the village should be removed for a number of reasons.

The village is located between Lyttelton St and Greenpark St in Spreydon.

Falling branches the greatest concern for the people living there, but the trees were also "ugly" and made the area damp.

"Last year quite a substantial branch fell from these trees and fortunately it fell on to the lawn and there was nobody around at the time it fell," Young said.

Christchurch City Council pruned 3-4 metres off the trees earlier this year after residents complained the trees shaded properties and created slip hazards. But that had "accentuated the problem", Young said.

"The trees will grow denser and will become damper as well as the roots will grow stronger. There will be more leaves so the issue will just multiply," he said.

"These trees are quite ugly and we would like something more attractive, less obtrusive, less of a problem."

Spreydon Ward city councillor Phil Clearwater agreed topping of the trees had made the issue worse but it was an issue for the Spreydon-Cashmere Community Board to resolve.