Demolition has started on the Little Saigon site and is due to be completed in four to five weeks.
Maribyrnong mayor Sarah Carter said the works come after a long history of a permit that has been sat on for years.
“A planning permit was issued by council in April 2012 for the construction of a multi-level building (12 levels),” she said.
“ … As well as the use of the land for the purpose of apartments, fresh produce market and retail spaces.
“The site continued to operate as the Little Saigon Market until a fire in December 2016.”
The fire occurred on December 13, which firefighters say was caused by a fault in an electrical switchboard.
” The site has laid dormant since that time, but recently demolition works commenced to facilitate the outcome of the permit, which has been amended and extended a number of times since 2012,” Cr Carter said.
Footscray MP Katie Hall said the short-term goal for the market is to clean up the mess that has been left and demolish all the existing structures.
“ … Then building will commence to the permit which detailed a ground floor market and upstairs apartments, which at the time of release was for aged care,” she said.
“This might have changed as the land hand changed a couple of years ago.”
