Demolition hits another hitch

A portion of the old St John of God Hospital has been left by the demolition crew after it was discovered part of the building was used as a retaining wall for the adjacent Bury Hill.

Demolition of the former hospital is nearly complete but the owner of the site, Bunbury City Apartments Pty Ltd, will now have to find away of removing the wall while stabilising Bury Hill next door.

The owner was unaware thewall had been built into the hospital when the property was bought in 2005.

Habitat International director Jan Zuideveld said the owner had been left with a problem which ‘‘should have never been allowed to happen in the first place’’.

‘‘We are unhappy we have to pick up the bag here,’’ Mr Zuideveld told the Bunbury CityCouncil last week.

Theowner wasgiven a six-month time frame to pull the building down but demolition of the eyesore was delayed after asbestos was found in the building.

The council has granted the owner a further year to complete the demolition after it became clear the wall would not be demolished before the March deadline.

Mr Zuideveld said the owners had ‘‘judiciously and responsibly’’ undertaken the demolition under difficult circumstances.

‘‘The perception is that we are not doing what we said we would do,’’ he said.

‘‘We want to move it along as soon as possible.’’

City of Bunbury director of planning and development Bob Karaszkewych said the council was well aware of the situation and was monitoring it closely.

Three apartment towers have been proposed for the site but the owner has not set a time frame for construction.