BY ALICE PEART
Following new legislation the state government has taken over the former Pasminco site at Boolaroo, with plans to fast-track it's redevelopment.
After accusations of mismanagement regarding the massive toxic waste containment cell on site, the government compulsorily acquired the land under the new legislation.
The site is now earmarked for residential and commercial development, which will reportedly result in two billion dollars net economic benefit for the Hunter.
Lake Macquarie mayor Kay Fraser says the economic opportunity for the region is exciting,
"This is part of our north-west catalyst area which is really important to Lake Macquarie, so this will have the potential to support thousands of homes, thousands of jobs, and will be the catalyst to reinvent that whole area up there".
While the site itself has been cleaned to bedrock for development purposes, residents throughout Lake Macquarie still face soil contamination from the former Smelter site and are liable themselves to pay for remediation, costing up to $100,000.
Jim Sullivan from the Boolaroo Action Group says the development will be a great asset to the whole city, but the government needs to use the sale to address ongoing contamination.
"If the government thinks that they're just going to sell all the land on the Pasminco site, and not repair people's properties that surround the smelter, they're going to have a fight on their hands".
