The old brick house on the corner of the Cowes Esplanade and Warley Avenue was last week demolished, with surrounding neighbours highlighting asbestos concerns.

A Bass Coast Shire spokesperson confirmed a building permit had been issued for the demolition of the home at 18 The Esplanade.

They said a planning application was currently under assessment – not yet publicly advertised – for a community care accommodation building.

While a resident said the day after the demolition she witnessed workers in protective gear removing what appeared to be asbestos, there had been no apparent safety precautions carried out to protect the public.

The spokesperson said “concerns regarding the works on site should be directed to the private building surveyor and the EPA”.