The long-term owners of a Hector Street property claim the Boral concrete plant next door has polluted the area for too long with concrete dust, while noisy fans and trucks have been causing grief for nearby tenants.
Andrew said tenants have had to respray cars because concrete dust had stained the paint, while others had cited disruption from the concrete plant as a reason why they had left.
“The concrete dust had fallen on their cars and hardened, ruining the paint,” he said.
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“There were about 20 people working here downstairs and they could not sit out the back and have a cup of coffee in peace because of the noise.”
The pair are calling on the City of Stirling and Department of Environmental Regulation (DER) to upgrade the facility with an improved buffer zone or enclosed area to limit dust and noise.
“The worst part is the buck passing between the DER and the City of Stirling,” Andrew said.
A DER spokesman said there had been six complaints about the facility over the past six years from three different complainants.
The spokesman said they had investigated one of the alleged breaches but the plant had installed new truck washing equipment for dust management and cleaned the adjacent road.
He said the plant was regulated under Environmental Protection Regulations and enforced by the DER, but the City of Stirling also had powers under the Litter Act planning and building laws.
Stirling health and compliance manager Peter Morrison said the City had received four complaints since 2012.
“Questions have also been raised as to whether the use of the Osborne Park site is breaching planning legislation,” he said.
“All inquiries or concerns in relation to the Boral plant should be directed to the DER.”
A Boral spokesman said the organisation was planning to modify the plant to reduce noise in the coming weeks, depending on the weather.
“We have several neighbours close to our Osborne Park plant and only one of these has complained to Boral about the facility, mainly in relation to noise,” he said.
“Our operations comply with strict regulations and the site is regularly audited by the relevant State and local authorities.”
Bayswater Council last week decided to write to the newly elected State Government to appeal an approved concrete batching plant after a seven-year battle.