Locals living in fear over demolition plans

FIRST ON 7: Residents are in fear over plans to bring a giant tower crashing down right near homes and a preschool on the New South Wales South Coast.

The demolition has already been delayed because of asbestos but locals have been warned they cannot stop the stack from crashing down.

It was once a tower of power when Port Kembla was pumping as an industrial giant, but now an explosive fate awaits the copper smelter stack.

But before the 50-storey building is brought down more than 130 homes, businesses and a preschool will be evacuated.

"That's why this 300metre exclusion zone has been created," Port Kembla Copper's General Manager Ian Miller said.

Residents are worried about contaminated fallout from the demolition.

"The more you look at things the more shocked that you get and the less confidence you get that it's been done properly," local Helen Hamilton said.

Port Kembla Copper says it has done everything it possibly can to allay the fears of residents.

The company says engineers have calculated the stack will fall right along a yellow line to the north of the tower.

"The ground where the stack will fall down has been prepared so its not an exposed, contaminated site," Ian Miller said.

As the Department of Planning delays demolition until asbestos issues are addressed 7News can reveal one of the Department's own staff is acting as a broker in the copper company's plan to sell adjoining land.

"I believe it is a conflict of interest," Wollongong City Councillor Vicki Curran said.

"It's a conflict that the community has raised as a major concern with me."

The Department says it will respond to any investigation of the staffer's involvement with developers.

If you have got a concern in your neighbourhood you'd like 7News to investigate contact us at news@seven.com.au.