3. Affected Trees and Vegetation

A Tree Assessment 3 was prepared in August 2012 and formed part of the original Notice of

Requirement (NoR) for establishing the CRL designations. The assessment found that there are scheduled trees within or near the construction footprint of Aotea Station and the construction worksite.

Two TV DWPs have been prepared for the relocation of utilities prior to the construction of Aotea Station and its associated tunnels. The working areas for these enabling works overlap with the Aotea main works. Therefore, the majority of trees within the project area will have already been removed prior to the commencement of Aotea main works construction. The TV DWP prepared for Stages 1 to 3 and Stages 4 and 5 details where tree removal is required. It was identified in the Stage 4 and 5 TV DWP that an outline of future street tree reinstatements for Aotea Station would be provided in this current DWP, to provide an early indication of how the CRL project will mitigate for the loss of tulip trees along Mayoral Drive. This is presented in Appendix B.

3.1 Affected Trees - Aotea Main Works

As the majority of trees initially identified within the construction footprint will be removed during the Stages 1 to 3 and Stages 4 and 5 utility relocation works, the only additional trees to be affected by the Aotea main works are 11 pōhutukawa (T34) trees situated at the southern end of Albert Street, outside the Crowne Plaza Hotel.

The location of the impacted trees is shown in Figure 3-1 and Figure 3-2. Table 3-1 provides a summary of the trees that will be impacted by the Aotea main works, and proposed mitigation measures.

Figure 3-1: Illustrating trees T34. Image from Google Maps (2019).

Page 10 | Aotea Station Main Works 3 Boffa Miskell. (2012). City Rail Link Tree Assessment. Report prepared for Auckland Transport, dated August 2012.

Figure 3-2: Trees (T34) on Albert Street which will be impacted by the Aotea main works. Note that Trees T30 to T33 have been assessed as part of Stage 1 to 3.

Table 3-1: Identified Trees Impacted by Aotea main works

Tree ID Common name Botanical name Scheduled Overall condition

T34* Pōhutukawa x11

Metrosideros excelsa

No Good

Estimate height (m)

6

Project effect

Removal

* = T34 refers to 11 separate trees (all pōhutukawa).

Mitigation measures

Transplant trees (if practicable); refer to Section 4.1.1. Otherwise trees to be replaced as part of public realm reinstatement.

None of the trees detailed in Table 3-1 are scheduled under the Auckland Unitary Plan (Operative in part). Despite this, consideration has been given to the feasibility of relocating all trees planned for removal.

Link Alliance Project Arborist, Matt Paul, provided a Tree Transplant Feasibility Assessment to assess the 11 pōhutukawa in terms of their suitability for transplant; this assessment is provided in Appendix C. The following conclusion was drawn from the Tree Transplant Feasibility Assessment;

“The restricted root zone and current condition of the trees coupled with their disproportionate height in relation to root zone area determines that they are not suitable for transplant. Furthermore, their current height and potential transplanted size would make them difficult to transplant and ultimately