Parramatta. Retail outlets in the CBD

The Parramatta CBD has 871 retail outlets – 430 in Westfield Parramatta, 357 along retail strips and 84 in arcades – in June this. The total vacancy rate is 9 per cent overall, with 15 per cent outside Westfield, according to statistics released by Jones Lang LaSalle, in Parramatta. Overall clothing and accessories outlets dominate with 23 per cent, closely followed by food (restaurants, cafes, take-away) outlets. Food dominates along the retail strips, with 23 per cent, followed by consumer goods, with 16 per cent. Clothing and accessories accounts for 10 per cent. .

Campbelltown. TV centre a possibility

The ABC has announced plans to build a state-of-the-art TV presentation and master control centre in a joint venture with WIN Television. The centre may be located in Campbelltown with construction to commence in 2010 The centre would replace the decentralised network currently used by the ABC which is spread out across each state and territory. The plan is expected to lead to the loss of jobs at both networks, with around 60 jobs thought to be shed from WIN’s headquarters, in Wollongong, and a further 50 from the ABC. Around 30 positions could located at the new facility.

Parramatta. 'Significiant 'reduction in sales

Transactions in office markets in Parramatta and Macquarie Park witnessed a significant reduction in sales, with both markets combined representing less that 2 per cent of the total turnover across the metropolitan area of $899.2 million, in 2008-09, according to LandMark White’s Byte report. This represented a decrease of more than 68 per cent from last year.

Camellia. API to invest $60m in warehouses

Stephen Roche, MD, of Australian Pharmaceutical Industries (API), based at Camellia, said the company was investing $60 million to improve its supply chain, with new warehouses for Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney, which would cut the transportation time for restocking shelves at pharmacies and Priceline shops. The warehouses are scheduled to be completed by July 2010.”We expect a 30 per cent return on this investment, and it will save a million kilometres in trucking products across the country< “he said in The Australian.

Region. Prime food land under threat

Around 52 per cent of prime agricultural land on the outskirts of the Sydney region was included in areas slated for urban development, which could reduce the city's food security and force up food prices to cover the added costs of long distance transportation, according to Michael Shuman, US economist and champion of locally owned business and local economic development. Sydney has an economically viable local food industry worth around $1 billion a year and employing around 12,000. The Sydney Food Fairness Alliance, is organizing a two-day food summit in October.