Parramatta to Central metro rail link

The federal Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, said funds would be made available for a feasibility study for a metro rail link from Parramatta to Central. If favourable the NSW Government could apply for funding under the $20 billion Building Australia Fund announced in the federal Budget. The line would provide a direct link between Parramatta and Sydney Olympic Park.

$35 million upgrade at the Shell Clyde Refinery

The Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, has approved a $35 million development at Shell’s Clyde refinery to upgrade the hydrodesulphurisation unit to produce diesel with 10 parts per million of sulphur content, in order to meet the new diesel standard under the Australian Government's Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 that will come into force in 2009.

$60 million library at Macquarie University

A new $60 million library building of four storeys has been approved by the Minister for Planning, Frank Sartor, to be constructed at Macquarie University.

North Ryde hotel on the market

The Courtyard by Marriott Hotel, at North Ryde, has been put up for sale through CBRE Hotels. New Zealand companies believed to include Real Estate Assets Ltd control the hotel and two others, the Courtyard by Marriott hotels in Parramatta and Surfers Paradise, according to The Australian Financial Review.

Government's reform proposal withdrawn

The Australian Financial Review reports that the Department of Planning’s proposal to give local government the power to compulsorily acquire land for onsale to developers as part of urban renewal has been scrapped. Parramatta City Council is awaiting a Court of Appeal decision regarding the Land and Environment Court refusing council’s compulsory acquisition of properties in Darcy Street, for its $1.4 billion Civic Place project.

Two bidders for Dairy Farmers

The Sydney Olympic Park-based Dairy Farmers has received two publicly acknowledged interests in acquiring the co-operative, namely, National Foods and New Zealand-based Fonterra. The 2000 farmer shareholders of the co-operative put the business on the market in March.