It’s coming down — there’s something new in store as demolition begins on Albany Woolstores ‘eyesore’

Twenty-one years after buying the Albany Woolstores, owner Mark Dyson has started tearing down the sprawling grey structure to make way for a “vibrant” multi-use redevelopment at the prime waterfront site. The South Australia-based Quality Wool managing director was on site yesterday for the first day of what is expected to be a six-month demolition and site clean-up process, including the careful removal of asbestos from the 65-year-old structure. A “born-and-bred wool man”, Mr Dyson has bought and repurposed several woolstores sites across the country, transforming them into boutique hospitality venues, retail spaces and warehouse apartments. Wool sales at the sheds came to an end in 1982, with Mr Dyson buying the 15ha Princess Royal Harbour site in 2000. In February, he revealed to the Advertiser that he had been working on a feasibility study since late last year to investigate the removal of the structure but he needed the City of Albany’s support. At the time, Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington and Mr Dyson agreed the grey sheds were an eyesore and said they would like the site to be redeveloped. Speaking to the Advertiser on-site yesterday, Mr Dyson said that after a wild storm tore through the already deteriorating 70,000sqm structure at the end of June, it was time to get moving on his plans. “I want to reduce the risk to not only the general public but also to myself as the owner,” he said. “I don’t want anyone getting hurt and I don’t want anything collapsing. “This building has run its race and now it is time to pull it down.” The site is one close to his heart, having frequented the woolstores since he was eight years old and throughout his time in the Australian wool industry. Stage one will include asbestos removal works, followed by the dismantling of the entire structure, with steel, timber and concrete set to be reused. The asbestos cladding contained in the structure would be “in the bag by Christmas time” and carted off to a tip in Waroona, Mr Dyson said. Mr Dyson said the asbestos removal was being performed by fully qualified, licensed contractors with experience in asbestos demolition works and site clean-ups. “Finally, after all these years, there is now movement on the site. The handling and the control and the entire demolition process is done with licensed contractors who are well experienced in handling the materials,” he said. “So put the fears at rest that the handling of the asbestos is going to cause issues to the general public. “All asbestos safety and handling procedures and requirements will be followed, the site will be continuously monitored, including with the use of air monitors, and a demolition team will be on-site to ensure that all precautions and regulations are adhered to. “The team will ensure there is no risk to the public from the demolition works and the handling of the stable asbestos.” Mr Dyson said there would be a “thorough cleanse of the land” to remove any remaining asbestos. “We will also look into the waterways to make sure they are free from any contaminants, and then once we get into the site, we are left with just a concrete slab,” he said. “We will recycle all of that as well, and then the land we will make sure that is contaminant free going forward in whatever development we choose.” He urged the community not to visit the site because it was an active demolition zone. “We have had several people on day one thinking they can use this as a thoroughfare,” he said. “That is not the case. “This is a demolition site, it is an asbestos site, and it is illegal for them to be on there.” With his plans finally in motion, Mr Dyson is keeping quiet on his ultimate vision for the site but it will feature multiple developments. He said he had worked with the City of Albany over the past two years and had engaged a Perth-based consultancy firm to help shape the future of the site. The community would be able to have their say, he said. “We have already started working on the overall structural plan and we have engaged a major firm in Perth to give us a hand with it,” he said. “That will take place over the next 18 months, where we will come up with a final scenario, and that in itself is exciting.” Mr Dyson said the waterfront site’s potential “speaks for itself”. “First of all we will demolish it and then we will look at reconstructing something that will benefit the entire area,” he said. “We all know now that post-COVID, life has changed and there is going to be more regional travel, so that in itself lends all sorts of development ideas down here. “You have got an ageing population in the whole of the Great Southern that may want to retire to Albany. People have spoken to me about superior A-class retirement sectors. “This site allows for about three or four parts of a development that will be vibrant.”