“DEVASTATED, absolutely devastated.”
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Emily Garlick remembered her reaction to the phone call confirming her Holbrook home had loose-fill asbestos.
“I had a conversation with my case manager and I said, ‘OK, what happens now?’ and she said, ‘It gets demolished’,” Ms Garlick said.
“I was in shock for five or 10 minutes and then I was just sad, I just cried.”
Born in Holbrook, Ms Garlick has returned to the town and bought her house four years ago.
“It’s a 1950s weatherboard, really cute little cottage-style place, which is why I bought it because it has personality that new houses just do not have,” she said.
But now her home is one of 21 in Holbrook so far found to contain loose-fill asbestos under the NSW government’s free testing scheme.
The affected residents are considering their options under the voluntary purchase and demolition program – sell the property to the government, retain the land and rebuild or do nothing and have the property listed on a public register, which could influence future sales.
About 45 people attended a Holbrook forum on Thursday with NSW Fair Trading, which heard community concerns about housing shortages, the cost of rebuilding, possible financial hardship and the impact of demolition on neighbours.
Loose-fill asbestos taskforce head Joe D’Ermilio said previous attempts to remove the dangerous material, such as vacuuming out, had not proven fully effective.
“The only enduring solution, unfortunately, is the demolition of a property,” Mr D’Ermilio said.
Ms Garlick felt she would like to rebuild on her block but remained worried about the potential costs.
“I could take the money and buy something else but we live in a small town and there is nothing else to buy,” she said. “There’s zero rentals, it’s been a huge concern, you know, where are people going to go?”
Even so, Ms Garlick said she understood the government’s position and the potential health risks of loose-fill asbestos.
After testing positive Ms Garlick’s home underwent air monitoring, which showed the property to be within national standards.
“So I’m able to live in the house until I sell it to the government,” she said.
“Some people aren’t that lucky.”