Dairy demolition finally over

Demolition recently took place a month after the Bayview Dairy in Vipond Road was destroyed by fire.

Neighbours have been providing support to dairy owners Daniel and Maria Lee, including rushing to tie down the roof when it looked as though it could come loose in high winds.

They say the couple have been phoning their insurers, Vero, every day to find out when demolition work on the site will begin. Meanwhile the stench of rotting produce from the freezers, rubbish blowing around and potential asbestos exposure has been a concern.

Neighbour Martin Keogh reported these issues to Auckland Council’s pollution team, who came out to the site to assess the situation.

“The smell was making people gag, when the weather was still and hot,” Keogh said. “However, our main issue was to get demolition underway for the Lees.”

Council’s compliance team leader, Paul Northover, said officers visited the site on January 26 in response to reports of an odour emanating from the building.

“The smell was found to be generally isolated to the building, with the officer unable to smell anything in either direction outside the site,” he said.

Northover said the rotting food would be removed once demolition was underway.

Last week, in response to questions from Hibiscus Matters, a spokesperson for insurer Vero acknowledged there had been a delay.

The spokesperson said Vero had contacted the insured, and its building project manager visited the site, on the same day the company received the claim, to do a welfare check and to take immediate steps to secure the site.

“Unfortunately, following the initial inspection, the site tested positive for asbestos and was referred to WorkSafe until a safe resolution was agreed to,” the spokesperson said.

This meant demolition was put on hold as an accredited asbestos licenced contractor would need to safely complete the demolition.

Last week, the dairy was demolished.