Action is needed on eyesore sites

Ocean Beach Rd is the gateway to Umina and just look at it: A derelict site where once was a servo and the burned out wreck of what used to be Umina Mall.

The two sites are eyesores!

But they also pose an even greater risk to Umina - the health and safety risks of asbestos.

As if by some strange coincidence, the old servo and the mall were both subject to arson - the former on 1 Jan 2018 and the latter on 13 Jan 2019.

When asbestos is in a fire it is even more dangerous.

It is referred to as "friable asbestos" and there are strict guidelines on how to handle such sites.

I understand that friable asbestos exists on the servo site which is why development of that site is held up and that the Mall site has friable asbestos after the fire.

Something needs to be done and, while Council does have some responsibilities, they are hamstrung by legislation on what they can demand is done within such sites.

I suggest that everyone gets in touch with the local State Member for Gosford Ms Liesl Tesch to express their worry and concern.

Email, 14 Jul 2019

David Keig, Umina