The single Cypress tree that pub owner claims has halted multimillion-dollar renovations

Publican Liam Ganley has a grand plan – and a planning permit – to overhaul his “tired” Windsor Castle Hotel, but he claims a dispute over a single tree has stalled the multimillion-dollar redevelopment.

Ganley wants to build a brick wall to stop noise echoing into homes surrounding the historic watering hole off Chapel Street, but no construction work can start until the tree stoush is settled.

“It’s an absolute disgrace,” Ganley said. “This venue hasn’t really changed much in the last 20-odd years so it’s in desperate need of repair, renovation and to be upgraded.”

The pub closed two weeks ago, its windows now adorned with a sign reading “closed due to Stonnington Council inaction”.

For the past five months, Ganley says he has been battling the council over the future of a Bhutan Cypress tree on the edge of the pub’s beer garden.

The publican said it had to be removed for a three-metre-tall double-brick wall to be built on the property’s boundary to reduce noise, with surrounding awnings to be demolished. There are no plans to remove a fig tree that dominates the courtyard.

The council granted a planning permit for major renovations in December 2025 but explicitly ruled out removing the Cypress tree, instead instructing Ganley to apply for a tree-works permit before work could begin.

One month later, that was denied on the grounds the healthy tree could remain a “medium to longer-term element in the landscape” if well maintained. Ganley appealed, but was knocked back in April.

“Please note that with the current Climate Emergency retaining large trees in the landscape is critically important, especially given the time it takes for a tree to grow to a functional size,” a senior council manager said in a letter.

Late on Friday, the council granted provisional approval for the tree’s removal, subject to conditions such as planting a replacement tree.

However, it’s little comfort to Ganley who said the redevelopment remains in limbo and questioned why it took five months for council to reach that position. “Where can we replant? This is going to be potentially another redesign. Why is it coming so late?” he said.

“They should be out here helping us get this moving, move mountains to get us going here. Why is it always so hard to do anything?”

In a statement, Stonnington Council chief executive Dale Dickson said the matter was thoroughly reviewed and a decision to grant provisional approval to remove the tree was made at the senior executive level late last week.

He said sufficient evidence related to the tree removal permit was initially “not provided in a timely manner” by Ganley’s company or their representative, but once it was, the permit was approved within six business days.

“Delays over previous appeals processes have resulted from information not being provided in a timely manner by the Ganley Group,” he said.

Ganley Group, which owns seven venues around Melbourne including the Carlton Club, purchased the pub after it entered into voluntary administration under different owners in 2024.

Ganley said he shut the pub entirely two weeks ago as it is “falling apart”, with staff stood down and the business now losing about $10,000 a week. He hopes major renovation works can begin within months.

“We’ll be probably opening in March or April next year, so we’ve lost that whole summer season,” he said.

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