Regional Roundup February 2015
By Red Dwyer
Town centre boost
Hills Shire Council has approved a precinct plan which allows for more than 300 new homes, 60,000 square metres of extra retail space and 40,000 square metres m of additional commercial area adjacent to Rouse Hill Town Centre. The proposed work will be built in stages, depending on market demand, and is expected to be completed by 2025.
$130m contract
Baker & Provan, at St Marys has won a $130 million Australian Defence Force contract to supply 89 Supacat vehicles toSpecial Forces personnel. The contract adds to its capabilities after manufacturing parts for the Royal Australian Navy’s ANZAC frigates, Collins class submarines and RAN mine hunter projects.
$72m investment
Bunnings warehouses at Prospect and Marsden Park total a $72 million investment with over 300 jobs created. A total of four warehouses will be opened in Western Sydney in 2015 totalling $100 million
Council tops list
Blacktown City Council topped the list, prepared by the Department of Planning and Environment, of the Top 10 Sydney councils with 2822 housing approvals for 2014-2014. Liverpool, third ranking, recorded 2201, Parramatta, sixth, 1848 and Penrith, eighth, 1581.
MOU with UWS
Penrith City Council has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the University of Western Sydney (UWS) to formalise its partnership with the university.
Land expansion
The NSW government plans to extend by 4537 hectares the Western Sydney Employment Area, at Eastern Creek, which was formed to give businesses land for industry and employment with infrastructure for transport and logistics, warehousing and office space. The land was expected to deliver 36,000 industrial jobs and 21,000 office jobs over the next 30 years.
Warehouse sold
Kayver Engineering Pty Ltd has sold a 935-square-metre warehouse, at Prime Drive, Seven Hills, $1.5 million
Firm wins awards
Award win
RV Super Centre, at Penrith, won three awards, at the Camping and Caravan Industry Association NSW Awards of Excellence.
Sporting centre
Futsal Institute has secured a 3300-square-metre industrial facility, in Victoria Street, Wetherill Park, at a rental of $107 a square metre, to build an indoor sporting centre
Person of the Year
Tony Perich, MD, of Greenfields Development Co and the developer of Oran Park Town and Narellan Town Centre, is the urban Taskforce’s Property Person of the Year for 2014
Transformation
Western Sydney Parklands Trust wants to transform a 20-hectare parcel of parkland, between Cowpasture and Bringelly roads into a business hub similar to The Crossroads at Casula providing 1000 construction jobs and 1200 ongoing jobs.
Freight firm leases
Logistics company, Freight Specialists, has signed a lease for a 10,274-square-metre industrial facility, at Davis Road, Wetherill Park, for five years, at an annual rental of $121,50 a square metre
Sold for $2 million
Wolin Investments Pty Ltd has sold a 2849-square-metre site, at Bridge Street, Picton, to Shanklyn Investments Pty Ltd, for $2 million.
Nine-storey building
Liverpool City Council is considering submissions on the construction of a nine storey mixed use development comprising commercial development on the ground floor and 53 residential units with associated basement parking, at 54-56 Macquarie Street, Liverpool. The applicant is Devuti Pty Ltd
Leased at airport
THA Nationwide, a motor vehicle and auctioneer and valuer, has leased a 2287-square-metre office/warehouse, at $80 a square metre from Bankstown Airport.
$500m upgrade
Construction is expected to commence the $500 million widening of 10 kilometres of Bringelly Road, between Rossmore Road and Horningsea Park, from two lanes to four lanes, in the next six months.
Shop top proposal
CBD 888 Pty Ltd has a DA for substantial alterations and additions to a seven-storey commercial building, at 464 Church Street, Parramatta, including additional floor space on all upper levels and the addition of an eighth storey. Approval is also sought for “shop top” housing containing 1364-square-metres of commercial/retail space and 106 residential units, at a construction cost of. $21.5 million
Camellia studies
Parramatta City Council and the Department of Planning & Environment have joined forces to progress the future of the Camellia Precinct. The department has allocated $500,00o to fund necessary studies. to inform the rezoning process as well as identify necessary infrastructure improvements for the precinct, such as road access and public transport
Extra funds
Parramatta City Council has approved up to $160,000 additional expenditure for the Activate Parramatta project and the position of a small business liaison officer be funded from the economic development levy, for the September quarter 2014.
Major occupier
The government sector is the major occupier of floorspace in Parramatta accounting for 42 per cent of the space, followed by finance and insurance, 20 per cent, communication, 9 per cent, and business services, 8 per cent.
Car park
Parramatta City Council resolved to investigate a redevelopment of the Fennell St at-grade carpark, in North Parramatta, with a view to expanding the current carpark, helping link up customer and commuter parking in Fennell St with the Parramatta Shuttle, support parking for the Parramatta stadium, and alternative parking arrangements during any periods of development.
SOP growth
With more than 205 businesses committed to Sydney Olympic Park, the Sydney Olympic Park Business Association wants the NSW Government to financially commit to ANZ Stadium, Sydney’s iconic Olympic stadium, and the growth of the Park.
Water supply
A study, led by global design and engineering firm, Arup, and Parramatta-based Sydney Water, draws on a range of future scenarios in mapping how water supply in Sydney and other major cities could look in 25 years in the face of population growth, increasing scarcity of water and continued budget pressures.
Board appointment
Minister for Planning, Pru Goward, has appointed Karen Penrose, as a new director to the board of UrbanGrowth NSW, which is based in Parramatta. Ms Penrose brings nearly 30 years’ experience in banking, and CFO and COO roles predominantly in financial services, funds management and property.
Top salary for GM
Parramatta City Council’s general manager was the highest paid GM last year on $425,582, followed by Warringah, $396,749 and Sydney, $394,858.
Three into one
Pet accessories company, Kazoo Pet, has leased a 2700-square-metre office and warehouse, in Wetherill Street, in Silverwater, at $300,000 annual net rent, from a private investor. The company has merged three warehouses into one.
Sold for $4.95m
The Harries Technology a 1799-square-metre building in Macquarie Park has been sold for $4.95 million to an undisclosed purchaser.
DITCH HOME READERS
Real books are better for your child
AS school resumes for the new year, the “home reader” routine for primary school children also recommences. For many parents and children, reading these short texts can be the most agonising part of the nightly homework routine. It’s no wonder that so many children dislike reading their home reader.
Featured
NEW YEAR HEALTH CHECK
Four ways to improve brain health
By Anthony Hannan
Head of Neural Plasticity and NHMRC Senior Research Fellow at The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
THE human brain is the most extraordinary and complex object in the known universe, a kilogram and a half of soft tissue that, at its peak, leaves computers behind with its endless capacity for problem solving, innovation and invention.
Featured
UNLOCKING OUR COLONIAL PAST
Lennox Bridge reveals its secrets
START digging into history and you don’t know what you will find.
CHANGING WORLD OF MATHS
Why language is key to learning
By Misty Adoniou
Senior Lecturer in Language, Literacy and TESL at University of Canberra
THERE has been a lot of hand-wringing about mathematics lately. According to national and international testing we are not getting any better at it and plenty of good reasons have been offered for why this may be so.
Featured
CREDIT EDUCATION COURSES
Partnership provides programs for professionals
THE Australian Retail Credit Association (ARCA), has announced an industry partnership with Kaplan Professional Australia, a provider of education and training, to develop and deliver credit reporting education programs for industry professionals.
HOW BETTING WORKS
Why the Cups skews the odds
AUSTRALIA’S iconic sporting event – the Melbourne Cup – will see more than 100,000 punters pack into Flemington Racecourse this Tuesday, while those at work around the country pause to tune in to The Race.
