Maitland City Council rejects urban greening proposal

Maitland City Council has rejected a proposal to adopt the international ‘3-30-300’ urban greening benchmark, which aimed to ensure every resident has a view of three trees, 30 per cent canopy cover, and access to a park within 300 metres.

Proponents of the motion, including Councillor Don Ferris, argued the policy was necessary to prepare the city for extreme heat and to prevent developers from stripping trees during new subdivisions. However, the motion was defeated due to significant concerns regarding implementation costs.

Councillor Sally Halliday estimated that purchasing land for new parks to meet the 300-metre standard would cost approximately $22 million. Councillor Mitchell Griffin suggested the total cost for retrofitting established suburbs could reach $591 million, describing the proposal as ‘planning by calculator’ that would exceed multiple council budgets. Additionally, Councillor Bill Hackney noted that council mapping shows 19 suburbs already register zero heat risk, questioning the need for a blanket target.