A construction contractor was fined tens of thousands of dollars for “destroying” a tree the company was supposed to protect.

Images provided to Yahoo News by the Western Sydney City Council, which is behind the prosecution, show the 80-year-old English oak behind a barrier fence with several branches chopped off. However, the tree’s main problem was damage to its root system caused by a concrete slab being poured too close to the tree.

Last year, the City of Canterbury Bankstown fined the developer $3,000 for non-compliance with regulations at the Revesby construction site, where semi-detached houses were being built, but the developer decided this month to appeal the fine in court.

At the hearing, the court was told that the work was being carried out in a prescribed tree protection zone without the supervision of a certified arborist. When the developer failed to appear in court, the matter escalated and he was fined $45,000.

The judge said the developer was “well versed in the legal options for dealing with this situation” and suspected that “cost savings” may have led to the tree’s destruction.

Why protect an introduced tree species?

Under Council regulations, most native and introduced trees over five metres tall must be protected.

After assessing the damage, the city concluded that it had no choice but to agree to the complete removal of the tree.

In response to the incident, a city spokesman called on citizens to report other people who illegally damage trees.

“The council takes the enforcement of environmental regulations seriously and we will not tolerate anyone cheating at every turn,” a spokesman said.

“This is a warning to you: if you do something wrong, you will be caught and fined.”

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