Region. Rees 'fair dinkum' about centres

Premier Nathan Rees has a medium-term goal was to “get fair dinkum” about building up centres other than the Sydney CBD. The Government needed to consider incentives, such as payroll tax concessions, for business to move to other centres, such Parramatta and Penrith, in the west, and Hornsby, Chatswood, Strathfield, Hurstville and Bankstown. “It means planning to make sure we get the right commercial, retail and residential mix and open space … you re removing the need for people to have to travel into the (Sydney) CBD every day,” he said in The Sydney Morning Herald. “The centres policy has been kicked around by planning ministers … it’s frankly had lip service paid.”

Rouse Hill. Town centre wins award

The Rouse Hill Town Centre won the Walter Burley Griffen Award for Urban Design, in the 2008 Australian Institute of Architects awards. The shopping mall has rejected the big-box format in favour of quasi open-air streets and the introduction of apartments and a library into its realm. The jury admired the way the shopping centre’s environmental considerations and its 24-hour spaces had been handled, according to “The Australian Financial Review Magazine”. The architects were Rice Daubney, Allen Jack+Cottier, Group GSA.

Parramatta. Luxury cars sales down

Greg Duncan, executive chairman, of the Parramatta-based Trivett Group, has said most dealers of luxury cars have suffered from a recent downturn in sales, and predicted some would even be forced to close their doors, as finance companies terminate lines of credit. “I think you are going to see ... for the next two months, cars are going to be as cheap as they’ve ever been – top to bottom,” he said in The Weekend Australian Financial Review. The Trivett Group dealership sells about 14 marques, including Rolls Royce, BMW, Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Porsche and Bentley.

Parramatta. More outdoor dining

The recently opened Corporate Lounge, in the heritage-listed former post office and Telecom Business Office, at 112 Church Street, in the reopened section of the Church Street Mall, has applied to council for an outdoor dining area in front of the two-storey building. It currently has seating for 50 people inside. The application is for 98 seats outside.