Councillors vote against town planners over problematic London plane trees in Rockingham city centre

The only quibble over big plans to build 33 townhouses in the Rockingham city centre appears to be over what trees should surround them.

Rockingham council backed Rothelowman Property’s plans for 15 new homes fronting McNicholl Street and a second row of 18 behind the first, with access from Kimbla Street.

The council support includes a requirement for off-street parking, $80,000 of public art and a verge landscaping plan.

Rockingham’s current City Centre Streetscape Study was written in the early 1990s and recommends London plane trees for landscaping in new developments.

That is despite the tree being banned in some other local government areas due to invasive roots, non-native, non-waterwise and now also a popular home for the invasive shot-hole borer that is desecrating trees across Perth.

Plans submitted by Rothelowman suggested WA peppermint trees in verge areas instead of the London planes.

City planning officers objected to this, writing: “Feature trees along Marks Place and McNicholl Street are to be ‘London planes’ in keeping with species already planted at neighbouring residences, and more broadly throughout the immediate area.”

Cr Dawn Jecks supported the development application, but insisted the city’s requirement to use London plane trees in streetscaping be removed.

“We desperately need housing in the area,” Cr Jecks started.

“London plane trees, they’re the trees we see in the main strategic centre there and they (the developers) were saying they’d prefer to put in peppermint trees because they’re a native tree and more cost effective.

“So while London plane trees look pretty their roots can be huge once established and have been shown to lift paving, causing damage, which the city would end up having to pay for in the coming decades.

“London plane trees are not native trees and require considerable water and maintenance to make sure they don’t die while being established. They’re also prone to infection by polyphagus shot-hole borer. Peppermint trees are more drought tolerant and have minimal infrastructure risks.”

Cr Hume agreed and recounted a story about the London plane tree’s problematic roots.

“I was at the Rockingham markets and an acquaintance of mine came up with bloodied palms and bloodied knees having tripped over where the pavement had been pushed up because of plane trees,” she said.

“I would prefer not to see more plane trees, I don’t really see any reason why all the trees have to be the same, as long as we have tree coverage.”

A majority of councillors voted in support of Cr Jecks’ motion, with just three voting against.

The townhouse application will be decided by the Metro Outer Development Assessment Panel on June 10, with a recommendation for approval.