An Auckland homeowner who deliberately lopped at a protected pōhutukawa tree has been prosecuted. He previously pleaded guilty to one charge of altering a pōhutukawa tree by removing about 50 per cent of the live growth. "By the time Auckland Council would have processed the request, it would have been too late. "I congratulate Auckland Council for taking this case to court as this is an expensive undertaking," he said. * A previous version of this story incorrectly said the Unitary Plan was the cause of tree protection changes.

Source: Stuff November 28, 2018 03:11 UTC