Pine needles found inside a church foyer is not reason enough to cut down seven pine trees along the boundary of Evans Road Community Church, according to Tauranga City Council.

The council's City Vision Committee decided not to chop the stand of trees in Wednesday's committee meeting after the church claimed the pines in the Evans Rd drainage reserve are making managing the property difficult.

The stand of pines now saved for posterity.

The pine trees produce a large volume of needles and debris, which is unmanageable and block the church's downpipes and gutters, as well as being tracked into the church foyer.

The trees are about 25 metres from the church, and about 25m from the boundaries of recently-built properties on Ella Place. They were there before the church or the residences, says TCC arborist Richard Conning.

The trees are 30-35 years old are in good health and could live another 80-100 years, says Richard.

Responding to the church's offer to replace the pines with something different, Richard says: 'All trees drop debris, regardless of what they are. If you want something different you have to plant a plastic tree”.

Tauranga City councillor Steve Morris recalls the trees from his youth. They are among the few mature trees in Papamoa, which doesn't have any others, apart from the pines in the domain. If they are cut down the community would be the net loser, says Steve.

It is the new council's first tree decision, which was made after consulting staff about policy and the repercussions of supporting the policy or not.

In the end, a clear majority was in favour of keeping the pines – apart from councillors John Robson and Bill Grainger, who opposed the decision.