Newcastle City Council staff found the boulevard of ageing figs posed a public safety risk and should be replaced.

It would cost $450,000 to remove and replant vegetation along the Cooks Hill strip that runs from Darby Street, past the city's art gallery, library and Civic Park, and through to Dawson Street, a report to tomorrow's council meeting said.

If retained, maintenance would be required to manage the public safety risk, which could mean closing Laman Street to vehicles and pedestrians, or putting up protective structures.

The preferred plan is to start growing replacement trees in the next year, remove the existing ones in 2011-12 and plant new vegetation in 2012-13.

The potential loss of Laman Street's iconic canopy comes after another nearby leafy landmark got the chop.

A once-grand boulevard of 65-year-old trees at the Darby Street end of Tyrrell Street was cut down in 2004, the council deeming the trees a public safety risk.

National Trust Hunter regional committee is concerned that Laman Street could also lose its heritage landscape.

"Rather like the Tyrrell Street trees I think it's outrageous they're going to remove them," deputy chairman and former Greens councillor Keith Parsons said.

Former Greens councillor and qualified consulting arborist Ian McKenzie said a boulevard planting formation should stay.

"I believe one of the options that needs to be looked at is staggering removal and replacement to maintain the avenue character," he said.