Paul and Zara Holmes a Court in council fight to remove tree from $20m house in Peppermint Grove, WA

Owners of one of Perth’s most expensive homes are pleading with their local council to remove a tree that divides their driveway, with Planning Minister John Carey calling on the Shire to use “common sense”.

Paul and Zara Holmes a Court bought the $20.1 million property in the leafy suburb of Peppermint Grove in August however their ritzy estate came with one glaring issue — a large verge tree smack in the middle of its driveway.

According to Post Newspapers, Ms Holmes a Court was at Tuesday’s Shire of Peppermint Grove council meeting to plead her case to remove the tree.

“We are very lucky to live here, but I have to say that the tree placement is unusual,” she said.

“I’m quite a reasonable and rational person, but a tree in the middle of the driveway makes it quite tricky to reverse out.”

She said the tree also blocks the view of cars driving around the corner from Bay View Terrace, the Post reported.

The application to remove the tree comes as more councils across the western suburbs including Peppermint Grove are implementing tree retention policies to help preserve and improve Perth’s decreasing tree canopy coverage.

Peppermint Grove is currently advertising a policy that, if approved, would make it an offence to damage mature trees on private land without prior approval.

Speaking to The West Australian on Friday, Planning Minister John Carey urged the Shire to take a “take a common sense approach” when dealing with the removal of trees on private property.

“This is part of the challenge that we do have with local government. I’ve always been on the record that we need local governments to take a common sense approach to issues,” Mr Carey said.

“And I understand people are passionate about trees. But ultimately, we do need local governments to assess the situation and find pragmatic outcomes.

“We’re trying to do everything we can to boost tree canopy in Perth. As a State we’re currently developing an urban tree canopy, but in this case, I would urge the local government to consider trying to resolve this issue with the property owner.”

Recognised for their billionaire business lineage, Paul and Zara Holmes a Court recently sold two neighbouring homes in the lavish suburb for a total of $24 million — quashing rumours that the couple were going to create one super-mansion across the two sites.

Their home sits on a 2793sqm block overlooking Freshwater Bay, and when bought by the Homes a Courts, it was among the top 10 most expensive house sales in Perth history.

The house was built in the early 1900s and designed in the rare Federation arts and crafts style.

When it was revamped, the driveway had to be split in two as a condition of development approval, so as to preserve the growing young peppermint tree.

Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Holmes a Court said the couple would happily cover the costs of planting more trees on the verge in exchange for permission to remove the current one.

But Shire officers have recommended that not be allowed and the council will make its decision on November 26.