The fate of two historic Dunedin oak trees - each more than 100 years old - hangs in the balance as a Dunedin City Council hearings committee considers whether to allow their removal.
Morclarke Developments director Lloyd Morshuis has applied for resource consent to remove one of the trees, near the rear of the former Montecillo site his company plans to develop.
He and an adjoining neighbour have also jointly sought consent to remove a second oak tree, near the edge of Eglinton Rd.
A council planner has recommended consent be granted to fell the tree at the rear of the site, while retaining the one beside Eglinton Rd.
The matter was considered by the council's hearings committee - comprising chairman Cr Colin Weatherall and Crs Andrew Noone and Teresa Stevenson - this week. There were passionate arguments in favour of keeping the trees from two of the five submitters to speak at the hearing.
However, two more submitters supported the applications, while a third was neutral, Cr Weatherall told the Otago Daily Times afterwards.
Mr Morshuis has also sought retrospective consent for the earlier removal of an elm tree, which had been felled without consent after being deemed a health and safety hazard because it was slumping, the council planner's report said.
Members of the committee also visited the site.
A written decision was expected within days.
