Maybe a house in Taperoo isn't such a good idea!

[Guest WhatNow?]

Port Adelaide residents may be moved as Government admits key ministers knew of toxic report | Adelaide Now

 

What annoys me about this is all the concern about the 'new development' when there are hundreds of much older homes - many of which are social housing - on the opposite side of the road from ABC, and the Soda Works is literally 100 yards from some Housing Trust homes that have been there for tens of years. Why are they worrying about the poor little yuppies buying overpriced 1 bed apartments at Newport Quays and not mentioning the kids that are already playing a few hundred yards from such a hazard. I have little sympathy for those buying homes there recently as there has been so much publicity about the dust from ABC - like the folk who buy under a known flight path to an airport that has been there for years, they should have known better. Some people had little choice and were in no position to find out the risks beforehand. I suppose the prospect of the government possibly having to buy the apartments back is more interesting as 'news' than the damage already done to a couple of generations of local people.

[Anne B]

I must say I was very surprised to see all the ritzy housing at Port Adelaide, after not having visited the area for many years. I lived in Semaphore South for a short while in 1995, and on some days there was a really horrible smell in the air. My hairdresser rents at Newport Keys and says there is always a film of dust and grime on everything outside (such as the outdoor furniture) so they keep the windows and doors shut as much as possible. She loves the view over the Port river though.

 

To be fair Port Adelaide has always been a hub of industry, the cement works have been there since 1913. It shows the attitude of goverments towards their populations when they build social housing near industrial areas.

 

Still, at least the situation isn't as bad as Port Pirie.

 

Blood lead levels in Port Pirie increase again | Adelaide Now

[Guest Guest5035]

when it first started to develop wasn't the ABC and all those other industries there, albeit alot smaller though.

 

http://portside-messenger.whereilive.com.au/news/story/anger-over-abc-bid/

 

 

stevo

[Guest Guest5035]

Port Adelaide residents may be moved as Government admits key ministers knew of toxic report | Adelaide Now

 

What annoys me about this is all the concern about the 'new development' when there are hundreds of much older homes - many of which are social housing - on the opposite side of the road from ABC, and the Soda Works is literally 100 yards from some Housing Trust homes that have been there for tens of years. Why are they worrying about the poor little yuppies buying overpriced 1 bed apartments at Newport Quays and not mentioning the kids that are already playing a few hundred yards from such a hazard. I have little sympathy for those buying homes there recently as there has been so much publicity about the dust from ABC - like the folk who buy under a known flight path to an airport that has been there for years, they should have known better. Some people had little choice and were in no position to find out the risks beforehand. I suppose the prospect of the government possibly having to buy the apartments back is more interesting as 'news' than the damage already done to a couple of generations of local people.

 

 

so you wouldn't recommend PA then.

 

stevo

[Guest WhatNow?]

Much as I love visiting the area and have actually considered buying there, this latest news has made me think again. I was only looking at a house there the other day...now not so sure.

 

Yes the cement works has been there a long time and there have always been problems. My BIL worked there until recently and very vocal locals have been giving it stick for 30 years or more. ABC have tried all sorts of tactics to keep the dust levels down but the pressure to stay in business and turn a profit is always going to come first, and why not?

 

As AnneB says, the establishment of social housing in the shadow of this sort of industrial development is typically cynical and all about the otherwise low cost of the land - because until recently no developer would have touched it. Recently, less scrupulous developers have already made a packet out of Newport Quays and are about to do the same with the new Harbor development. Now hopefully the pollies will find it difficult to squirm out of knowing the score and keeping quiet about it to help their cronies...

[Rachiegarlo]

Hey they always will build on suspect land......Mile End and environs...especially Brompton, they just shaved the surface soil off.

[Diane]

Hey they always will build on suspect land......Mile End and environs...especially Brompton, they just shaved the surface soil off.

 

This is so true - there's been talk for a while about building hundreds of new places on the top of the old Highbury tip - despite warnings about toxic gasses and disasters at a similar development in Victoria. I'm sure palms will be greased at some stage though and development permission will be granted. It's very sad.

 

I've always wondered about the Port River dolphins - acres and acres of pristine sea to choose from, and they pick the Port River with all its industry and pollution!! Whoever said dolphins were intelligent?

[Guest WhatNow?]

Yes it happens everywhere, just they don't always get caught out so soon and while still in office! I remember years ago a site in Wolverhampton where the land had always been classed as 'sacrificial' - that is it had been having industrial sewage sludge spread on it full of heavy metals for years then planning permission was granted despite warnings and it was developed as 'cheap' housing land. The residents were advised 'not to grow vegetables' on it LOL! Pollies had long moved on when people started getting ill.

[ShouldIStayOrShouldIGo]

With all due respect ladies, as moderators shouldn’t you be providing well researched and accurate information to potential real estate purchasers. Please don’t take media beat ups as correct because they are fraught with inaccuracies.

Rachiegarlo, I take it you are quoting a report from ABC Statewide, is the following comment familiar?

When the Housing Trust units were built in 1982, the polluted soil was covered in plastic and 50cm of clean soil. http://www.abc.net.au/stateline/sa/content/2003/s874300.htm

It is incorrect to say that newer inner city developments were remediated in this way as they were remediated very differently. In fact the old Gas Works land has yet to be remediated or built on and is part of the Land Managements new redevelopment of the old Clipsal site for the new Bowden Village, of which I am on the steering committee. Other Pug Holes have been remediated over the years but not to the half meter depth as you suggested but to more like 10 meters, refer the old ‘Rowley Park’ Speedway on Torrens Road.

Adelaide does not have infinite tracks of suitable building land in metropolitan inner city areas therefore remediation of land is necessary.

Regarding rubbish dumps and toxic gases, lessons have been learnt over the years and for quite some time now the dump owners have contracted out and sold off access to these gases for commercial production. The Wingfield dump is a prime example, take a drive along the Port River Expressway and you will see the infrastructure. I have in years past used the St Agnes (Highbury) dump and from memory they did not allow any contaminants and pollutants to be dumped.

The Port River has had its pollution problems in the past but with current environmental policies and fines for the pollution of waterways curtails those old practices. I’m certain if the water quality was that bad the dolphins (porpoises) would move out.

This is so true - there's been talk for a while about building hundreds of new places on the top of the old Highbury tip - despite warnings about toxic gasses and disasters at a similar development in Victoria. I'm sure palms will be greased at some stage though and development permission will be granted. It's very sad.

 

I've always wondered about the Port River dolphins - acres and acres of pristine sea to choose from, and they pick the Port River with all its industry and pollution!! Whoever said dolphins were intelligent?

[Diane]

With all due respect back at you, as moderators we're perfectly entitled to our own opinions, as is anyone else!

[Guest WhatNow?]

I don't think anyone would disagree that Adelaide doesn't have 'infinite tracts of land' available for housing, but that really isn't the issue I was raising. The issue is that the politicians knew about the actual (not just potential) results of the EPA report and still allowed the selling to continue. The taxpayers will ultimately be the ones to pick up the bill should there be a requirement to repurchase. As someone who worked for years in local government, I have no illusions about the 'co-operation' that goes on between developers and local councils. Maybe there is the opportunity for more transparency now with Steering Committees like the Bowden Village one, but this has a lot to do with the interest taken in the area by people with loud voices and vested interests to protect (mainly their own property values). Unfortunately the people with the loudest voices in the Port Adelaide developments were not the less wealthy local residents but the developers and their friends and the rest of us can look forward to bailing them out and ensuring that their nest eggs/salaries are not affected.

[Guest WhatNow?]

With respect to the methane issue from old landfill sites, in the UK the practice is to extract the methane, certainly, and use it for whatever purposes practical, but I am not aware of anywhere that has allowed development of any sort on the land above. Normal practice is to turn it over for recreation, not housing or industry. Let's hope the same applies at Highbury, because there will certainly be methane there whether or not anything 'toxic' was dumped originally.

[Guest kerfumph]

Having worked at a cement factory, anybody who lives withing 5km needs their head checking anyway. Seriously, would you not do some research first on where you want to live? It's not as if nobody could see it before the report came out.

[Guest Guest5035]

you need your had checking to work there, its a dusty, rusty place.

 

stevo

[Guest Guest5035]

Let's hope the same applies at Highbury, because there will certainly be methane .

 

thats from Di's you know what:biglaugh::biglaugh:

 

stevo

[Diane]

thats from Di's you know what:biglaugh::biglaugh:stevo

 

Well we did have veggie curry for dinner a couple of days ago Stevo...:embarrassed:

[Guest kerfumph]

you need your had checking to work there, its a dusty, rusty place.

 

stevo

 

 

Best place I ever worked actually, big money, little work.

[Guest Guest5035]

Best place I ever worked actually, big money, little work.

 

Cement dust and tobacco smoke have the same long term effect. I went for a interview there a few years ago, parked my clean car, came out and it was covered in a fine layer of dust, i turned down there offer.

 

 

stevo

[Guest kerfumph]

It wrecks cars, people had 2, one for work, one for home. It did take a while to get used to having a dust mask on all the time, but yes I don't think working at one for 40 years would do you much good!

[ShouldIStayOrShouldIGo]

With all due respect back at you, as moderators we're perfectly entitled to our own opinions, as is anyone else!

Thanks but your not a hairdresser on her way to Brissie with big opinions too, are you? :biglaugh:

C'mon lighten up Di

[Diane]

LOL Bit of sense of humour failure there, it's only down the road from me and I'm a bit sensitive about it! I'll chill.....