London Plane trees in Harvey CBD - comment sought
16 London Plane trees (Platanus x acerifolia) are planted in the central median of Uduc Road in the Harvey Central Business District (CBD). Secondary root swelling is causing damage to the road infrastructure and creating an uncomfortable drive through the CBD. Council recognises that Harvey residents have concerns about the impact of the trees on the road, and is seeking community input into how to address this issue.
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Context
London Plane trees are a popular street tree for their shady canopy, generally deep root system, low maintenance, and resistance to wind and pollution.
Since their planting, the trees have become a distinctive feature of the CBD during spring and summer with a full canopy growth of leaves. However, their secondary roots have extended outward, resulting in uneven road surfaces in parts of Uduc Road.
Maintenance of trees and tree root damage is an ongoing part of providing trees in the urban environment. It is recognised that trees mitigate urban heat factors from development, and have calming and wellbeing effects. The London Plane trees in Uduc Road in the CBD of Harvey provide both benefits and challenges.
The benefits are:
- A prominent visual presence in spring and summer with their large volume of green leaves
- They provide a deep shadow with an urban cooling effect to their surrounds
- In their current location with a relatively low canopy, they have a positive psychological traffic calming impact, causing the traffic to slow down through the CBD.
The challenges are:
- London Plane trees (like all trees) send out roots for stabilisation and water. These roots have the potential to damage the road infrastructure resulting in an uneven drive through the CBD.
- The existing humps in the road can be expected to become more pronounced and more uncomfortable as the trees approach full maturity.
- London Plane trees are a favourite of cockatoos, which shred the seed pods and fine twigs during spring. This can cause large volumes of debris to be deposited in the road, which in the case of the CBD, may need regular removal.
- In Autumn, the leathery leaves deposited on the road can become slippery for pedestrians when wet and are also known for causing blockages in stormwater drains while the leaves decompose.
Council are exploring two options to address the challenges around these trees, and are seeking community feedback on these options before making a decision.
Option 1 – Retain the trees, but remove the secondary roots
This option will retain the trees and their positive aspect on the CBD, but will also serve to provide an improved road surface. The trees will over time replace the removed roots with new growth to ensure stability and to seek water.
The longer-term outcome is that the Shire will have to accommodate humps in the road for the life of the trees, with periodic removal of the worst humps at regular intervals.
The estimated cost would be $62,000 for the first set of removals. It is estimated that subsequent removals would be required periodically at a reduced estimated cost of $30,000 for each occasion.
Option 2 – Remove the trees completely
This option is likely to have a significant visual impact on the character of the Harvey CBD.
It requires a one-off cost only. This cost is estimated to be $20,000 for the tree removal and $100,000 for the root removal and road repair.
Get involved
Council are seeking community feedback on the above options before making a decision.
A community survey will be open from 19 January 2026 until 4pm 6 February 2026.
After the survey is closed, community feedback will be compiled into a report and presented to the March Ordinary Council Meeting.
Start Survey >>