Heritage protection has been removed from historic street trees near Heathcote Hall.
Removal of the trees in Dillwynnia Grove would allow the street to be widened so the proposed development can meet bushfire zone rules.
Residents, who are fighting the $30 million project, believe Sutherland Shire Council made the change to assist the developer.
However, the council denies any connection between the trees being taken off the shire’s local heritage register and the development application (DA).
The council said the change was designed to correct a mapping error, and the process started years before the DA was lodged.
A decision on the DA is expected in early 2019 after deferment earlier this year by the Sydney South Planning Panel.
A spokesman for residents group Save Heathcote East, Wally Koppe, said the Heathcote East community was “passionate” about the trees, and he believed some members would be prepared to chain themselves to the trunks to stop the destruction.
Mr Koppe said residents stumbled on the fact the heritage status of the trees had been removed.
“This effectively gives the council the green light to remove most of the trees from the southern side of Dillwynnia Grove to allow road widening, construction of a footpath and parking bays,” he said.
“It is clear from the information provided by the council that this move to allow the destruction of trees in one of the most picturesque streets in the shire has been undertaken without a single resident being advised by letter of the proposed changes to their heritage status.
“This was because the trees are on public property.”
Mr Koppe said planning by the council for changes to Heathcote Hall had been going on for years, well before the current DA was lodged.
“To allow street widening, the trees were identified as a problem for future major development and, as a result, council resolved to prepare a planning proposal to amend the mapped extent of the heritage listed trees in Dillwynnia Grove, in accordance with the findings of the community based heritage review.
“Most of the trees on the southern side including the turpentine and other eucalypt species at the top end of Dillwynnia Grove, at the entrance to the development site, have been conveniently discovered to no longer be of historic significance.
“Only brush box trees from Wilson Parade to 22 Dillwynnia Grove are now deemed to be historic.
“No matter how council officials want to explain this matter, there is no way residents will be convinced this was not a move to provide assistance to developers.”
Mr Koppe said it had also been mooted that nearby Boronia Grove would also be widened, which would result in “another massive loss of trees”.
A council spokeswoman said, in 2013, the council received funding from the Heritage Office of the Department of Environment to undertake a review of heritage listed items in the Sutherland Shire Local Environment Plan (LEP).
“The community based review, undertaken by an independent heritage consultant, found that several trees on Dillwynnia Grove did not meet the relevant heritage criteria and had been incorrectly mapped,” she said.
“On 14 December 2015, council resolved to prepare a planning proposal to amend the mapping in Dillwynnia Grove, in accordance with the findings of the review.
“The Planning Proposal was exhibited for 30 days, from 3 August to 1 September, 2016.
“The Information was made available on council’s website and a public notice was placed in the Leader advising of the exhibition, in accordance with the statutory requirements.
“On 19 December, 2016, council resolved to proceed with amendment.
“At that time, no development application for Heathcote Hall had been submitted.”
Mr Koppe rejected the council’s explanation.
“Planning for the redevelopment of Heathcote Hall was going on well before 2013,” he said.
“It is our strong view that the desire of council to assist in this redevelopment is directly linked to the delisting of the trees.
Mr Koppe said the council should have done a letterbox drop to residents.
