The developers charged with the illegal demolition of a 160-year-old Melbourne pub have pleaded guilty to moving asbestos from the site to a block surrounded by homes and a shopping centre.
The Corkman Irish Pub, in the inner suburb of Carlton, was knocked down in October 2016, and owners Stefce Kutlesovski and Raman Shaqiri were charged with illegally demolishing it without a permit.
The developers were told to not remove debris from the site because it contained asbestos.
But the Environment Protection Authority (EPA) discovered some of the waste had been moved to a construction site at Cairnlea, in Melbourne's north-west.
The EPA charged the two developers and their company, Leicester 160 Pty Ltd, with illegally dumping construction and demolition waste including asbestos, and not properly covering and securing the materials.
The Sunshine Magistrates' Court today heard the Thurlong road site is bordered by homes, is across the road from a shopping centre and is within 350 metres of a childcare centre and primary school.
Magistrate Richard Pithouse said the neighbouring homes back onto the site and "are two-storey buildings with air-conditioning units".
The pair pleaded guilty to both counts and could now face fines of up to $770,000.
Mr Kutlesovski will face a four-day hearing in January.
Mr Shaqiri will have to wait until that case has been finalised before he is sentenced.
