Lobbyists among residents of Inch Street took their case to the latest meeting of Lithgow Council to voice concern at the ongoing presence of industrial undertakings in their street.
The residents want Council and the EPA to further restrict or remove altogether what they see as non compatible activities in an urban area.
They particularly targeted two businesses that have operated in the street for many years, Denis Cooke’s Metal Industries and George Pearce Earthmoving.
The latest campaign erupted following an incident earlier this year when residents were evacuated after it was feared that mustard gas had escaped from old wartime shells being cut up for scrap at the metal dealers.
The substance was later found to be harmless (and not mustard gas) but the scare was enough to stir a group of the nearby residents into action.
Several of them addressed Council during the public question forum and all had a common theme — they wanted their comfort zone returned.
Leading the submissions was a long term resident, Mrs Shirley Hodges.
She said the mustard has scare had been the final straw in a long list of complaints regarding noise, dust, hours of operation and traffic issues.
Other speakers were critical of the fact that they had still been given no follow up information relating to the mustard gas scare and expressed concern that a similar issue could again occur.
Another female resident demanded feedback from the Department of Defence on what had really happened on the day of the gas scare.
Yet another speaker, Robyn Da Costa, wanted to know why heavy industry was still allowed in an area zoned residential.
She was particularly critical of the George Pearce Earthmoving operation and claimed that material deposited by that company on property behind Inch Street was having a detrimental effect on the visual environment, particularly with the nearby Blast Furnace Park promoted as a tourist attraction.
The complaints continued in similar fashion for much of the lengthy public session.
Mayor Neville Castle said Council was also still waiting on a final report on the gas scare.
He said when the report arrives it will be made public and will be tabled in Council.
Cr Castle said Council was also anxious to find out what really happened on that day and hoped to make sure it did not occur again.
Regional Services Manager Andrew Muir said that the area’s zoning had changed from industrial to residential several years ago but business that were already operating at the time had existing use rights.
He said complaints of off site parking and loading activities would be investigated by Council and other complaints regarding issues of noise and dust would be referred to the EPA.
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