Work hours on inner city construction sites to be extended in bid to save jobs
Inner city residents may need to get used to early morning use of jackhammers as laws limiting inner city construction hours are set to be eased in a bid to save jobs. Here’s what time they’ll pick up the tools.
VIC News
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Laws limiting inner city construction hours will be eased in a bid to save jobs amid the coronavirus impact.
The City of Melbourne will allow an extra two hours on weekdays, an extra three hours on Saturdays, and the ability to work on Sundays.
Lord Mayor Sally Capp said the temporary measures will allow extra hours for commercial, large residential and mixed-use developments.
“We understand these changes may affect residents with a potential increase in noise, however we are attempting to strike a balance between the needs of residents and the need to keep people in jobs,” she said.
Current rules allow construction on weekdays from 7am to 7pm, and 8am to 3pm on Saturdays.
Working case-by-case, the council will allow an extra hour each weekday morning and evening, an extra three hours on Saturdays and six hours of limited activity on Sundays.
Deputy Lord Mayor Arron Wood said the system would be reviewed monthly.
The Master Builders Victoria and construction unions lobbied for the measures.
MBV CEO Rebecca Casson welcomed the council’s move.
“We appreciate the City of Melbourne’s flexibility in maintaining the essential services of building and construction which will keep thousands of people in work and thousands of families more secure,” she said.
“Builders care deeply for the safety and wellbeing our community, and we will continue to follow the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer.”
Urban Development Institute of Australia state CEO Danni Hunter said social distancing rules put pressure on the industry.
“Workers are more spaced out on worksites, and these extended hours will work to continue, and keep workers employed, while also keeping them safe,” she said.
“This is by far the best, most practical solution we’ve seen from local governments in Victoria, and we urge other local government authorities to follow the City of Melbourne’s lead and extend worksite hours across the state.”
However, City of Melbourne Greens councillor Rohan Leppert earlier expressed concern that employers and unions had joined forces to call for the “scrapping of building time limits”
“They have the ear of govt. It’s alarming,” he said on social media.
Cr Leppert said he had received considerably more construction noise complaints since people were required to self-isolate, and it was a health issue.
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