The four-bedroom home is the first under construction following demolitions at 18 Greater Hume sites over the past four months as part of the NSW government’s program to deal with the dangerous material.

Greater Hume general manager Steven Pinnuck said the council had approved another development application, with a third application pending.

Mr Pinnuck said the first round of demolitions had prioritised homes where owners had decided to rebuild on their land once the asbestos had been removed.

“From that perspective, certainly, I think we’re moving to a stage where there is certainly quite a bit more optimism around the future than what there was 18 months ago,” he said.

Earlier this year, the NSW government announced extra financial assistance for Greater Hume, which recorded the state’s second-highest number of homes contaminated by asbestos.

Greater Hume mayor Heather Wilton said the situation had been difficult for residents, but things seemed to be coming together.

“I think there’s a lot less angst in the community now ... there’s actually a house being built,” she said.

“I think everybody was quite excited to see that start.”

Work on the new home began about four weeks ago, replacing the demolished house that owners Jeffrey and Marilyn McPherson built in 1966.

“Twenty minutes, that’s all it took to knock it down,” Marilyn said.

The positive asbestos test had been a shock for the couple and their family.

“They all came home for Christmas last year for the last year in the home, with the grandchildren, it was lovely,” she said.

The McPhersons thanked Greater Hume Council and builder Peter Bowen Homes for their help through the process.

“At our age we didn’t want this but it is what it is,” Jeffrey said. “You have to just take it on the chin and get going.”

“Truly, with what other people go through in life and what’s happening, look, we’re fine,” his wife added.

This story first appeared on The Border Mail