Treescape set to change in Hastings streets

A new street tree is being chosen for the inner retail area because of problems with the olive trees currently planted throughout the central city.
But a proposal to use the Chinese windmill palm met strong opposition from Hastings district councillors at a meeting this week.
Deputy Mayor Cynthia Bowers said Hastings needed a point of difference from the many other cities where palms were used.
"To plant palm trees is just making us the same as Gisborne, Napier and a whole lot of other cities around New Zealand and probably around the world," she said.
"I think, in Hastings, we can do something much better than that."
Mrs Bowers said she would prefer an indigenous choice such as the cabbage tree (ti kouka).
Councillor Sandra Hazlehurst agreed, saying retailers had "huge issues" with the olive trees, which had grown too big.
"At the moment they're dropping all their fruit which is being walked into stores.
"We are unique in Hastings. We've got a beautiful town centre and we need to follow up with an option that is right for Hastings."
At the moment some Heretaunga St blocks feature olive trees, while the pedestrian area surrounding the clock tower also includes elms, pin oaks and plane trees.
The council has not proposed replacing existing trees, but using a different species in new plantings or street upgrades.
The council's parks and properties asset manager, Colin Hosford, said officers had been aware for some time of issues with the olive trees.
The trees were fast growing, covered signs and building facades, and managing the fruit fall was becoming "extremely difficult".
Mr Hosford said there was a reason palm trees were used widely. "They're hardy, they're easy to maintain, they don't obscure the buildings and we had used them outside the Opera House as a testing ground."
The council had asked for suggestions from arborists and tree experts and said while the cabbage tree was nominated, it was not on the shortlist of options presented to the council's landmarks advisory group.
Hastings City Business Association manager, Jane Janes, said retailers had opted for palms as the trees to plant in the redevelopment work now under way in Heretaunga St.
She said although olive trees were attractive, there were problems with fruit fall making a mess and causing people to slip over.
"I acknowledge palms are used elsewhere in the region, and it would be nice to have something that sets Hastings apart, but we do have them at the Opera House already," she said.
"If there was a stunning tree that didn't cause any issues or grow too big, that would be great to find."
Officers would now prepare a new list of options for consideration by the Landmarks advisory group.