EAST FREMANTLE council is weighing up what action to take after a “beautiful” mature tree was removed from Petra Street last weekend.

What action the council takes may depend on whether ownership of the London Plane can be cleared up: there is confusion about whether it was on private land or in a road reserve.

The tree was on the fringe of the carpark servicing the pet shop, Thai restaurant and optometrist, opposite Stammers.

Hanny Properties managing director Joseph Geha says the tree was felled to make way for a height limit bar.

“Large, heavy trucks were parking outside the pet store in the car park and causing structural damage,” he says.

“There is a basement below and cracks were starting to form in the roof. It was unfortunate and unavoidable, but there was no work-around and we had to remove the tree.

“We looked into saving the tree, but it was virtually impossible with all the surrounding concrete and services.”

Optometrist Ben Mullen was left querying his own eyesight after he arrived at work on Monday to find the leafy tree replaced by a mound of earth and torn roots.

“I left on Friday and when I came back on Monday morning the tree was gone,” he laments.

“I was disappointed because it was a gorgeous looking tree and had been there since we opened the shop over 20 years ago.”

Council acting CEO Gary Clark says an investigation is underway.

“Staff have advised me that the tree was in the road reserve,” he says.

“Once we have all the information we will determine what action is required.

“Obviously we treat any unauthorised removal of a community asset such as a mature tree very seriously.”

by STEPHEN POLLOCK