Beware: moving plant at Manukau

Two months before the opening of the first stage of the $180 million Botany Town Centre, landscaping has begun on the site in South Auckland.

AMP is spending more than $5 million on the grounds, including planting more than 100,000 trees, flowers and shrubs and spreading 8000 cu m of soil.

The project by AMP Asset Management will create a new shopping hub in Manukau City.

Landscaping involves moving mature pohutakawa, Norfolk pines, totara, titoki and kauri.

Trudy Crerar, principal designer for landscape company Natural Habitats, says some of the trees are 10m tall.