A billionaire couple has won the right to remove a single tree from the driveway of their luxurious $20 million mansion after it was blocked by their city council.
Paul Holmes a Court, son of Australia’s first billionaire Robert Holmes a Court, and his wife Zara had been at odds with their council over a request to remove a single mint tree growing in the middle of their driveway.
The couple bought the four-bedroom mansion in the affluent leafy suburb overlooking Perth’s Freshwater Bay for $20.1 million in August.
They wanted to remove the tree, but the Shire of Peppermint Grove rejected the request on the grounds that the tree was neither dead nor deceased.
“We are very lucky to live here, but I have to say the placement of the trees is unusual,” Mrs Holmes previously told Court at a council meeting.
“I’m a pretty reasonable and rational person, but a tree in the middle of the road makes it quite difficult to reverse.”
The couple enjoyed a breakthrough at a council meeting last week after an alternative motion allowing the tree to be removed on condition that they post a $2,500 bond before doing any work on the driveway was unanimously approved. .
They will also need to plant two replacement trees on their property.
Paul Holmes a Court (pictured) is the son of Australia’s first billionaire, the famous tycoon Robert Holmes a Court, who died suddenly of heart failure at the age of 53.
Paul Holmes à Court and his wife Zara won a city battle to remove a peppermint tree (pictured) from the entrance of their $20 million mansion.
Ms Holmes a Court previously claimed the tree’s strange location also made it difficult to spot cars turning the corner at a nearby intersection with Bay View Terrace.
After the motion to remove the tree was approved at the meeting, Councilor Douglas Jackson said it was a “good result.”
“I think it meets the desires or expectations of the property owners, but it also meets the needs of the council at the same time by ensuring that there is tree cover on the boundaries of that property,” he said.
Peppermint Grove hopes to implement a policy that would even make it a crime to damage or remove mature trees on private property without council approval.
Last month, WA Planning Minister John Carey said he hoped the Shire of Peppermint Grove would “take a common sense approach” to the issue.
‘This is part of the challenge we have with local government. “I have always been clear that we need local governments to take a common sense approach to problems,” Mr Carey told the Western Australia.
‘And I understand that people are passionate about trees. But ultimately, we need local governments to evaluate the situation and find pragmatic results.”
According to the online listing for the four-bedroom, four-bathroom mansion, which is built on a corner block along the banks of the Swan River, the sprawling Federation-style property was built around 1904.
The Holmes à Court property was built around 1904 in the Federation “Arts and Crafts” style.
The house boasts an unparalleled view of the Swan River overlooking Fresh Water Bay
‘Designed in the rare Federation ‘Arts and Crafts’ style, the house has retained all its elegance and splendor through high ceilings, spacious terraces, charming decorative arches, casement-style sash windows and walls of French doors that bathe the light house , reflecting the views of the river beyond,” the ad said.
The property also features ‘plush champagne-hued carpeting’ and ‘remote cobblestone garage with seating for six cars, abundant storage space, gym area, bathroom with double vanity and rain shower, and climate-controlled wine cellar.’
Holmes a Court is the CEO of award-winning wine brand Vasse Felix and brother of Peter Holmes à Court, who once co-owned the South Sydney Rabbitohs with Russell Crowe, and climate philanthropist Simon Holmes à Court.