Bankstown. Airport business improves

Thirty-four new aviation operators are now operating at Bankstown Airport, in the first quarter 2009, up from 30 in the December quarter, and eight new businesses have commenced operations in the airport’s business park., which has a vacancy rate of less the one per cent of total lettable area. New sites suitable for aviation activities will be released over the next six months. Bankstown is Australia’s busiest airport, with over 362,000 movements recorded by Airservices Australia in 2008

Minto. $90 million project

The Department of Planning is assessing an application for the Minto Maltings project, at Minto, which would have an annual capacity of 110,000 tonnes. The project would include a grain packaging plant and associated infrastructure. Fifty workers would be employed on its construction, with 20 workers employed when the facility becomes operational The estimated cost of construction is $90 million. The applicant is Cardno Pty Ltd, of Wollongong.

Blue Mountains. Hospital site for sale

Expressions of interest have been called for a 372-hectare parcel of land formerly used as the Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital, at Wentworth Falls. EOIs close on April 17. Niemeyer Commercial Industrial Property is handling the sale.

Granville. RSL merger vote

An extraordinary meeting of the Granville RSL Club will take place on April 23 regarding the proposed amalgamation with the Auburn RSL Club. “Business is down 18 per cent compared to prior the non-smoking-indoors rule being introduced in 2007,”said CEO, Robert Gibson, in the Parramatta Advertiser. The increase in poker machine tax and the current economic crisis were other factors.

Parramatta. 'Blow to future growth'

Brendan Lyon, executive director, of Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, said the recent High Court’s decision that Parramatta City Council could not compulsory acquire properties for its $1.4 billion Civic Place project, was “a significant blow to Parramatta’s future growth, throwing into jeopardy the continued economic and social development of Western Sydney”. The court said council could not acquire the properties and re-sell them to Grocon, the project’s developer. Council will appeal to the NSW Government to change the law.

Marsden Park. Industrial precinct expanded

An additional 106.7 hectares will now be considered during the planning for Marsden Park Industrial Precinct which comprised 445 hectares when released in June 2008. The employment precinct, which would deliver jobs and investment to Sydney's North West region, was the first to be released under the Government's protocol which allows planning and development to proceed earlier than proposed.