PARKING PAIN: Residents question plan to remove landmark trees for car space

ST LEONARDS community advocates are urging state authorities to rethink a plan to chop down mature cypress trees from the town’s foreshore as part of an expansion to its boat ramp.

Better Boating Victoria (BBV) has released plans for a long-awaited upgrade to St Leonards Boat Ramp, which includes removing trees from near the beach to make room for overflow parking.

The new parking zone would only be used during peak periods between November and February, the plans indicate, and would be in addition to an existing overflow area being retained at an empty block opposite the ramp.

A survey report card released by BBV indicated about 15 per cent of the 476 respondents to an April consultation process asked for parking upgrades and increases.

“Limited parking spots” was listed as one of the key difficulties is using the facility, while respondents also said parking should not be reduced from its present provision.

Protect the Bellarine’s Jenny Knox said the community organisation wanted to see more information in concept designs about the need for extra parking and to take away the vegetation.

“The concept plan includes the removal of eight large mature cypress trees. However, we have no access to the arborist’s report.

“Statements declaring the trees unsafe due to the risk of falling trees or limbs as possible, is true of any tree, and just catastrophises the situation.

“The argument that the trees will be replaced by natives takes no account of the time it will take to provide replacement habitat or shade, no indication of the landscape plans at all, what, when and how it will be implemented.

“Most importantly, the removal of these trees sets a precedent for the removal of similar groves of cypress along the St Leonards foreshore, for which St Leonards is known.”

Ms Knox also said the existing plans should include a detailed foreshore management plan that addressed ongoing measures to retain trees and shade at the site.

Protect the Bellarine said it agreed the St Leonards boat ramp needed an upgrade and was generally supportive of other parts of the proposal.

Other key changes to the facility that BBV outlined earlier this month included wave screens integrated along the length of the boat ramp, an extended T-section at the end of the structure with a lower landing, and changes to traffic access to and from The Esplanade.

Residents and boat ramp users have until January 13 to have their say on the existing concept design.

The plan, consultation report card and submission form are available at BBV’s website at betterboating.vic.gov.au