The owner of this building on the corner of George and Hanover Sts has been battling the Dunedin City Council over the encroachment on to his property by this tree. PHOTO: GERARD O’BRIEN

A George St building owner is frustrated with the Dunedin City Council’s response to his complaints about an overgrown tree blocking the gutter on his veranda.

A council spokesman said the tree would be removed as a part of the George St upgrade.

However, Brian McLaughlin said it continued to cause water to overflow from the gutter on his building at 304 George St, flooding the building’s entrance when there was heavy rain.

Mr McLaughlin said he had been calling the council since March 21, but had not received a response.

"Each day I ring and they say they’ll pass it on to someone else to deal with it.

"I’m getting to the stage where I’ll just go cut it myself," Mr McLaughlin said.

When the council finally sent someone to have a look, they said it was "ridiculous", but not much could be done about it because of budget constraints, Mr McLaughlin said.

"The council will be up for a hell of a bill if they don’t sort it out quickly."

The council spokesman said it was not a budget issue.

The tree would be removed "in the coming months" as a part of the George St upgrade, but for now the council’s routine maintenance had been suspended.

By Mark John