A recent discussion at a City of Gosnells council meeting has highlighted how difficult it can be to have a public street tree removed, even when residents raise concerns.
At the February 10 Ordinary Council Meeting, councillors considered a request to remove a London Plane Street tree in Bennett Drive, Canning Vale.
The request followed ongoing concerns from a nearby resident about alleged structural damage and seed pods falling into her property.
City officers had previously declined the request after inspections by qualified arborists, saying the tree did not meet the criteria for removal under the City’s Public Tree Policy.
The policy, adopted by council in March 2025, guides how trees on City-managed land are planned, maintained and removed.
It makes clear that removal is a final option.
The council report states section 3.7 outlines the circumstances when tree removal will be considered where a tree is dead, in decline, causing significant damage to infrastructure or services, presenting an unacceptable level of risk to public safety, or where it conflicts with approved development.
It also states under section 3.8 that removal will not be supported, including removal due to leaf, fruit or sap drop, bird or bat droppings, removal of healthy and stable trees, or tree work for emotive reasons.
In the Bennett Drive case, the council report stated the city could identify no justifiable reason for removal.
The tree has been pruned back to the property boundary four times over the past eight years, most recently in October 2025.
Councillor Saiful Islam said he supported the officer recommendation to decline the request because there was no evidence the tree met the removal criteria.
“Under our policy, tree removal is a last resort,” he said.
“There is no evidence that the tree is unsafe or causing significant damage, so removal is not justified.”
He said leaf litter and seed pods were natural parts of having trees and were not valid reasons to remove a healthy tree.
“If we remove trees for these reasons, we risk losing our urban canopy,” he said.
However, the matter was not resolved on the night.
Councillor Glenn Dewhurst moved a procedural motion to defer the item to allow further information, including details about the alleged damage to the home.
Council voted nine to three to defer the decision.
Cr Dewhurst said substantial and credible evidence was required when structural damage was claimed.
“Removal should only occur where there is clear, professional evidence demonstrating genuine structural impact,” he said.
He said public trees provided important environmental and community benefits and that maintaining canopy cover was a shared responsibility.
In a statement attributed to City of Gosnells Chief Executive Officer Ian Cowie, the city said it receives more than 200 street tree enquiries each month, including planting, pruning and removal.
Only a small number of those enquiries relate specifically to requests to remove a street tree.
Mr Cowie said each request was assessed on its individual merits in accordance with the Street Trees Policy, which adopts a preservation-first approach.
“The city has committed to achieving 30 percent tree canopy coverage on city-controlled land,” he said.
“Trees and canopy coverage play a vital role in cooling our suburbs, enhancing biodiversity and maintaining amenity within our urban areas.”
Residents concerned about a street tree are encouraged to contact the city and review the Street Trees Policy on its website to better understand the limited circumstances in which removal may be supported.
