The work is part of the council's CBD beautification program but is also designed to cool down the "concrete" environment.

Council general manager Warwick Bennett said 70 trees, namely Zelkova Serrata, would be planted in the centre of Auburn Street from Verner to Goldsmith Streets.

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"It will improve the liveability of Auburn Street and cool down the area," Mr Bennett said.

"We'll have artificial grass between the trees and it's all part of our climate change adaptation strategy. Our main focus is to get more trees in the CBD."

Work will begin in the next two to three weeks and take up to three months. Most will be undertaken at night to minimise business disruption.

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The landscaping tips its lid to Auburn Street's past. The thoroughfare once had trees in its median before being removed for the concrete strip. In 2017, the council installed planter boxes with 'little gem' magnolia trees along the centre.

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While many welcomed the addition, others worried they would "block people" or cause an accident.

The Zelkova Serrata, or Japanese elm, is a deciduous tree that can grow to 30 metres. It has a short trunk and its leaves turn coppery red in autumn. It is described as drought tolerant once established, with a non-invasive root system.

The council says the trees will grow to four metres and will be set back 15 metres from pedestrian refuges, which will be maintained.

The Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) has approved the landscaping. Auburn Street remains classified as a state road. However Mr Bennett said following negotiations over the past few years, the council now had control of the street, except for the traffic lights.

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The interim agreement will remain in place until it is formalised through a wider reclassification process the state is undertaking.

Earlier this year, the government established an independent panel and called for council submissions on roads that could be handed back to the state. Goulburn Mulwaree wants to hand over Sloane Street in exchange for control of Auburn Street.

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The panel is due to report by July, 2021.

In related news, the council will keep exploring opportunities for more parking in and around the CBD but Mr Bennett says it's not an immediate priority.

"We're of the opinion there is adequate parking in the CBD but we'll continue to look at options," he said.

"People have to acknowledge that they can't always get a park outside the shop they want to visit and a 50-metre walk won't hurt them."

In April, 2019, Mayor Bob Kirk called for a multi-level car park in Ellesmere Street to be put back on the agenda.

"It may not be needed now but it may be in the future," he said at the time.

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Staff were to examine the pros, cons and costs of such a project. Plans for a one-storey car park in the street were drawn up in 2014. It was estimated to cost $2.5 million to $3m at the time.

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