The NSW chapter of the Australian Institute of Landscape Architects has written to the Premier, Mike Baird, asking him to intervene to stop the planting of the avenue of honey locusts, also known as Gleditsia triacanthos. The planting is imminent.

"This is just such a significant site. This project really should reflect the character of Sydney and Sydney Harbour. It is a chance to showcase our wonderful native species," James Grant, president of the Institute and principal at JMD Design said.

"It will be used by thousands of tourists. A beautiful fig or an angophora would be a much better choice. Using species that are classified as weeds sends absolutely the wrong signal," he said.

While the Headland Park at the tip of Barangaroo is being planted with native plants selected because they are indigenous to the Sydney Harbour region, the walkway that runs from the edge of the office area in South Barangaroo will be shaded by honey locusts.

The trees, native to America, have straight trunks and dark green, relatively light foliage. They are also deciduous, unlike most native species.

The Barangaroo Delivery Authority told Fairfax Media its choice of trees for the high profile promenade had been based on the design briefs established by world-renowned landscape architect, Peter Walker of PWP, based in California. The brief required that the tree species "emphasise the civic contrast between the foreshore promenade and the naturalistic planting of Barangaroo Point and to suit the western foreshore locations. It also specified deciduousness, which ruled out most native species.

"Selection of the trees was by PWP working with a local expert horticulturist," a spokesman for the BDA said.

"The selection of tree species for the foreshore promenade was made to emphasise the civic contrast with the native landscape at Barangaroo Point," he said.

"Gleditsia triacanthos var. inermis 'Shademaster' (a cultivar of honey locust) was selected because it fulfilled the design requirements including deciduousness, allowing more sunlight in the winter, and shade from the strong western sunlight in the summer. The species selected has a very delicate texture, allowing very good visibility through its canopy, creating an enhanced filtered view of the harbour from the east. The species has also been selected because of its salt tolerance at frontline coastal edges, making this species suitable for exposed shoreline planting," he said.

The spokesman said native trees had been considered but the honey locusts were determined to be the best and at the time of selection were on the City of Sydney's tree species list, and was not included as a noxious weed in NSW.

However, he said that since being included on the Department of Primary Industry's noxious weed list, the BDA was "reviewing the tree selection for the foreshore promenade."

Several architects, who declined to go on the record because they had worked on the Barangaroo project, also criticised the choice of planting, saying it was too formal, inappropriate to the site and was a lost opportunity to plant natives.

Lawrence Nield, professor of architecture at Newcastle University, said that from a heritage point of view it would be far more appropriate to use Australian plants at Barangaroo. "We are trying to some extent to recreate what was there at the site."

Lend Lease which is developing the commercial precinct at South Barangaroo, is also said to be unhappy with the tree choice, but declined to comment to the Herald. It has chosen natives for the main boulevard at Darling Harbour, which it is also developing.