The town had committed $8.1 million to upgrade the parkland.
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Vernon said the town had been revisiting the approvals granted and was speaking to arborists and the construction team to work out what happened.
She said it would likely be a combination of factors, including the declining health of some trees and failing to provide adequate tree protection zones.
Commenting on the town’s Facebook apology post, resident Georgia Davies said it was a huge oversight by the council.
“Tree protection zones are a basic requirement of any construction project. There are Australian standards and they should be included in all projects working in close proximity to trees that are being kept,” she said.
“I walked past this site weekly and could see it happening in real time. The [red-tailed black cockatoos] used to forage in that area all the time and I wonder if they’ll ever come back. Sad outcome.”
Vernon told the ABC the town planned to plant more trees, in addition to the 43 trees already planned to be planted.
“Now, to make up for the trees that we’ve lost, we’re identifying the locations where we can plant new trees,” she said.
That planting would take place between May and August.
Blackoak managing partner Tim Mack said the issue had also come as a surprise to him.
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“The loss of the 46 trees is not related to our project, and Blackoak has no involvement with the conduct of these works,” he said.
“The 46 trees that have been incorrectly removed (ie that were not supposed to be removed as part of the town’s approved plan) relate to the work being undertaken by the town on the adjoining Elizabeth Baillie Park.”
Vernon has been an ardent critic of the Burswood Racetrack for its loss of green space on the Burswood peninsula, and said she would take criticism on the chin about the irony of the loss of trees on council land.
However, she said the loss of trees at the Elizabeth Baillie House redevelopment was not something the council had planned, unlike the planned loss of parkland for the racetrack.
“It’s come as a pretty big shock, frankly, to myself and councillors that we found ourselves in this position, and that has led to some significant conversations between council and the town staff that are ongoing at this time about how this occurred,” she said.
Elizabeth Baillie House, a former army hospital and asylum, was gifted to the town by the WA government in February 2006 for the purpose of “community, recreational or civic use”.
The federal government has committed $4 million to help Blackoak redevelop the heritage building, which will include a café, bakery, museum space, bar, bistro, and microbrewery once completed.
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