Police had to get involved to stop a Riverstone Drive resident cutting down trees – after he was warned against the action by Tauranga City Council staff.

The council is consulting its lawyers over the issues, says communication advisor Siobhan Keogh.

'The landowner has been issued with an abatement notice, and we're continuing to investigate.”

When the area in Welcome Bay was subdivided into separate properties, a condition of the resource consent was the planting and protection of that strip of vegetation alongside numbers 28, 32, 36 which was to provide a bit of natural amenity for all those properties.

The planted area is along the properties eastern boundary and the SunLive photographer says with the trees cleared, the property off the top of Waitaha Road has views of the Mount.

Council staff think the resident bought the property later. But say he was informed of his obligations well before he removed anything from the site.

Staff advised the landowner on many occasions what the rules were in relation to his property and the adjoining properties. Despite that, trees and vegetation continued to be removed.

A neighbour says he spent Labour Weekend clearing vegetation from in front of his own property.

'He was eventually removed by the police on Saturday for that,” says the neighbour who doesn't want to give their name.

'He cut lots of trees down on his section and the next door section. We were just in a bit of a stuck place in terms of nobody being able to do anything. The council has done as much as they can do – which doesn't mean anything. He just chooses to ignore that.

'He's taken out a big middle section. It's a bit of a mess up there we are just feeling a bit frustrated.”

SunLive has contacted the owner of the property for comment.