Portlaoise trees facing chainsaws in multiple housing estates

Hundreds of trees planted in housing estates in the rapidly growing town of Portlaoise have rapidly grown too, bringing complaints by residents to local councillors.

Trees are said to be blocking streetlights and breaking through footpaths and "overtaking" green spaces, with five of the seven Portlaoise Municipal District councillors calling for works to be carried out, at their October meeting.

They blame council planners for stipulating the planting of trees close to paths, streetlights and houses, when approving planning applications for new housing estates. 

Trees are requested to be cut back in Fairgreen, Forrest Park, Liogard, and on a green in Ballyroan village, with tree stumps to be removed in Beladd also. 

Footpaths have been "unstablised" by tree roots in Woodgrove estate, reported Cllr Caroline Dwane Stanley.

Her motion asked when will the paths be repaired in the estate that she said was built over 25 years ago.

"A section of the footpath is in a bad state of repair. The roots of trees have unstabilised it," she said. 

Cathaoirleach Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald said the trees were planted too close to the paths.

"It creates a lot of problems. We should ensure it goes back to planning. Down the road the roots will lift the paths out of it.

"Trees are lovely in estates, people want them but you have to make sure they are safe. In estates built 30 and 40 years ao , some of them are not safe and they will be more dangerous in coming years. Whole paths are coming up. It is the same in Grenville," she said.

Cllr Willie Aird said similar has happened in Liogard on the Mountmellick Road, which he wants cut back along with Forrest Park.

"Trees are gorgeous but they need to be maintained.

"Here is the problem. In the planning office when you apply, you have to send in a planting plan for housing estates, and satisfy Laois County Council in the type of trees. In Liogard I was promised faithfully the trees would be trimmed by the end of February. We cannot go back until the end of September (at end of nesting season). 

We have a different Portlaoise, we have hundreds of trees in all estates. When they get to 25 or 30 foot high, there is no person can go up and try cut heavy branches. You need a cherry picker. Can we please include a budget.

"Not alone are all trees blinding lights, but the further they go, the more expensive they are to cut. We need to keep control. We have a window of opportunity now until February 1, but you can't operate in winds, time is precious. All trees in the Portlaoise Municipal District need a policy," he said.

Also at the meeting, Cllr Barry Walsh tabled a motion asking for pruning and "topping" of trees in the public green at Lower Main Street, Ballyroan.

"There has been new new trees planted but there are tall trees at the back that need to be topped. They are blocking light and are a bit overgrown," he said.

Cllr Marie Tuohy requested that tree stumps be removed in Beladd estate, adding that residents were grateful to the council for cutting the trees down. 

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Some trees will be cut down on the green at Carmody Way in Fairgreen, on foot of a motion by Cllr Thomasina Connell. She also requests that trees be cut back that are blocking a stop sign.

"A large number of trees were planted on the green 20 years ago as little whips, now they have completely overtaken the green. Kids aren't even using it it's so covered in foliage," she said. 

Laois County Council Director of Services Simon Walton said he had a parks budget of €350,000, and expected to fulfill all the requests made for treeworks by the end of the cutting season, but said it will cost "way in excess of the budget provided".

"I agree there is an extensive programme of work, be it for tree safety or streetlights. It is a considerable budget issue for the council," he said.