Fourteen of the popular trees, planted in the 1990s, have been removed since council passed the resolution in August 2015. Approximately 37 more are still slated for removal. 

The plan will eventually see most of the species removed from the Byron Street section between Otho and Wood Streets; and along the Otho Street section from the T-intersection at Byron down to the corner of Henderson Street. 

The removals only target plane trees that were planted in concrete pipes. These failed to contain the spread of roots, causing ongoing damage to footpaths and other infrastructure, and triggering continuous repair costs. 

“It is only realistic to make permanent repairs to infrastructure once the trees have been removed,” Inverell Shire Council general manager Paul Henry said. “Otherwise council is only providing costly band aid solutions.” 

The plan leaves trees from other species intact, as well as plane trees in other streets that are not causing problems: “Such as those in the Evans Street centre median and [the] roundabout off the main bridge,” Mr Henry said. 

The removals are being staggered in accord with budget considerations and to avoid “unreasonably impacting on the urban canopy”. 

“Council values the importance of a suitable urban canopy in the CBD,” Mr Henry said, adding that since June 2014, the authority has also “planted in excess of 200 advanced trees in around the town centre”. 

“Further re-plantings will occur in Spring of this year to offset those trees recently removed,” he said. 

The authority’s resolution to remove the plane trees sparked intense public debate. One community group, the Concerned Inverell Ratepayer’s Association, commissioned its own arboricultural assessment with the report, released in March 2016, concluding the removals were “not necessary”.