A furore erupted today after it was revealed the council’s Development Assessment Panel had rejected plans for the extension that “eat into the parklands” and require removal of 25 significant trees.

AdelaideNow readers have pounced on the issue, most attacking the council as anti-development (see comments below).

Councillor Anne Moran said it was scandalous that the council was being asked to cut down historic trees because of encroachment on the parklands.

But today both Government and senior members of the council said there was nothing to stop the 2.8km extension from West Tce proceeding and the project had the support of the full council.

The Government’s chief of major projects Rod Hook said the Government had road widening approval for the project and there were a few trees which would have to go.

But, he said, the Premier had pledged that for every tree taken out he would plant 100 new trees.

Mr Hook said he had been to meetings of the Adelaide Parklands Authority and they had passed a resolution supporting the project.

“So have the full Council of the Adelaide City Council, the City of Charles Sturt, so has the City of West Torrens,” he said.

“There was a suggestion we should put the tramline in the centre of the road, well thats exactly what the proposal is.

“We have actually located a bike path in the parklands at the request of both the Parklands Authority and the council so weve taken that out of the road pavement and put a separate bike path in the parklands.”

Councillor Ralph Clarke said he could understand there might be some confusion but the full council had voted overwhelmingly in support of the tram extension.

He said he did not know why the Development Assessment Panel had taken the decision they did.

“The panel consists of four city councillors and five independent members and they have to give a recommendation to the Development Assessment Commission which is a State Government body,” Mr Clarke said.

“The council is not anti development, were not anti the tramline.”

AdelaideNow