By Cameron Weston
HOBSONS Bay City Council last week shut down an Altona construction site, claiming that workers began major excavation work without approval.
A council spokesman said the construction company, Italia Developments was served with a building order to stop building work after digging commenced at the Pier Street site without appropriate clearance.
The spokesman said the council became aware of the breach when building inspectors checked the municipal building register and found the exploratory excavation work was not part of the original permit issued in 2003.
“An inspection was carried out and a building order was issued to stop work,” the spokesman said.
“The company has a town planning permit for residential development at the site, but not for the excavation they were undertaking.
“The excavation was to determine the water table level.”
But Italia Developments director Anthony Moratore hit out at the council, accusing it of reneging on earlier agreements.
“We originally went to the council for an exploratory permit, which gives us the right to have a look at what is going on under the ground there.
“I didn’t expect the council to come over, two days after we got the start permit, and tell us to stop working.”
Mr Moratore said the company had town-planning clearance and would seek temporary permits.
He said the company would now have the work certified by a private building surveyor, rather than a council appointed surveyor.
“We will go elsewhere and not rely on the council on this.”
Mr Moratore estimated that the stop-work order had cost the company $12,000, and said on Friday that he expected work to restart yesterday.
Meanwhile, the shutdown of the site was a relief for some nearby residents, who complained that the digging work was leaving their homes covered in black dust, causing breathing difficulties and eye irritation.
One resident, who asked not to named, said the dust had been a problem on Tuesday and Wednesday last week, during strong winds.
“The dust has come in under the door. You can see footprints on the ground.
“You can’t wear bare feet because you leave black footprints all over the house.”
“My neighbours have been having the same problem, just suffocating with all this black dust.”
Council officers inspected the area and found “no evidence at that time of dust particles blowing over from the construction site”, despite complaints from numerous residents.
“The dust was not an issue at the time,” the council spokesman said, “The stop-work order was only issued because the construction company didn’t have a permit.”
