Clovelly Park contamination scandal: 25 houses will be razed this year
BULLDOZERS will be brought in to flatten 25 homes at the centre of a contamination scandal in Adelaide’s west. It’s likely the houses will be gone within months.
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- First resident leaves contaminated suburb
DOZENS of homes in the Clovelly Park contamination zone will be bulldozed this year.
The State Government has confirmed 24 Housing SA properties and one former private residence will soon be levelled.
Renewal SA told the Guardian Messenger yesterday it would call for tenders for the work within two months.
Housing SA tenants and one homeowner in Chestnut Court and Ash Ave have been moved out of the area since August.
The Guardian Messenger understands three Housing SA tenants and one homeowner remain in houses in Ash Ave.
A Renewal SA spokesman said homes still occupied were also condemned.
“Renewal SA will be demolishing vacant houses in Chestnut Court and Ash Avenue at Clovelly Park,” the spokesman said.
“Tenders for the demolition work will be called within approximately eight weeks following communication with the local community.
“Any further demolitions will be dependent upon the decisions of residents in the remaining homes.”
It is not known what will happen to the area once the houses are gone.
Residents were told to leave in July after high levels of potentially dangerous chemical trichloroethylene were discovered in the air and soil.
The World Health Organisation states TCE levels of two or more micrograms per cubic metre of air in houses is a health risk.
Further test results released in December showed levels of more than 20 micrograms were discovered in eight homes in Chestnut Court, Ash Ave and Woodland Rd.
The highest reading was 35 micrograms.
Levels that high trigger intervention.
At least five sources have been blamed for the contamination, including Mitsubishi Motors and Monroe Australia.
Marion Mayor Kris Hanna said demolishing the houses would be an emotional time for former residents.
“My heart goes out to the residents who had long and happy stays at those houses, and to the parents whose children played in the dirt in the backyard,” Mr Hanna said.
“People’s health comes first.
“I hope we’re better as a society today than we were decades ago when we allowed polluters to poison our underground water.
“We have to accept the expert advice and (the demolition) will be a painful process for a lot of local residents.”