Helen Tait said she was one of many community members pushing to save eucalyptus trees and bushland on the eastern edge of the Launceston Golf Club at Kings Meadows.

Since December 2021, there have been numerous applications for a planned subdivision and to rezone a section from recreation to general residential.

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However, community members are rallying against the plans in an effort to save bushland on the proposed site.

Ms Tait was a respondent for the development application which was with the Tasmanian Planning Commission.

Her concerns focused on protecting bushland including the small reserve on the development lot.

She also claimed the location was a hotspot for the Eastern barred bandicoot often found in Northern Tasmanian grassland.

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As a biologist, Ms Tait said this small reserve was home to a host of native wildlife, including pygmy possums and 52 species of birds including the Tawny Frog Mouth.

"These animals will die," she said.

"They won't relocate. This is a prime area of reserve teeming with life."

Ms Tait said the location was a nature reserve and comes under the Nature Conservation Act.

"My concern is that everywhere, things like this are threatened, and we work so hard to get protection for them. And it still seems like it's not respected through the system," she said.

On June 16, Ms Tait heard machinery removing vegetation from Negara Street.

The following morning she attended the gates on Negara Street at 7am to find clearing and excavation work about to resume.

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She said she was informed by the golf club that only old tree roots and some stumps were being removed.

Launceston Golf Club president Tony Wilks said the area being referred to was used as storage for soil and clay and the excavator was moving those items for a new tee hole.

During the hearing for the application with the commission, the issue of vegetation was brought up in regards to trunk base size and a request to provide an estimate of how many trees will meet the test for native trees or otherwise, and how many trees that are native to Tasmania will be included if the proposed test was applied.

The response was "a site inspection was undertaken on June 8 to provide an estimate of trees that would meet the test for native trees.

With the exception of one pine, nearly all of the trees 50-centimetre trunk diameter are native.

About 15 trees within the road, road reserve and residential lot areas meet this test.

The golf club has indicated it has committed to planting at least 40 trees under part B of the draft condition, noting this may be more than what is required given the number of trees being removed.

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In response to clearing land before approval, the City of Launceston's chief officer Michael Stretton said the council had been made aware of the allegations and has investigated those claims.

"The club has told council that it was required to move a tee-off area to mitigate the risk of damage to neighbouring properties from wayward golf shots," he said.

"This work was in not related to the club's recent planning application, which is currently before the Tasmanian Planning Commission.

"The council has written to the club, reminding it of the requirements of the planning scheme that no works be undertaken until such time as the relevant approvals have been granted."

As the DA was still with the planning commission, Mr Wilks said the club wait for the outcome.

"The Golf Club fully respects the process we're engaged in, and there is no way we would ever pre-empt any decision of either the Planning Commission or the council in this respect," he said.

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