Smeaton Grange. Motor group buys site

The Paul Wakeling Motor Group has purchased a 1.5-hectare site, in the Iron Bark industrial estate, at Smeaton Grange, for an undisclosed figure, from Investa Property Group. The deal took total sales in the estate to 16 lots and more than 6.7 hectares, with a total value of about $22 million, in the past two years, according to The Australian Financial Review.

Parramatta. $6 million for a major festival

Events NSW has proposed a budget of $6 million to conduct a major festival of South Asia culture over three years, commencing in November 2010, following an approach by Parramatta City Council to stage such event to drive business and tourism.. The proposed festival would represent a diverse range of contemporary multi-arts and cultural activities, and have strong integrated and interlinked components including trade and investment, education and tourism. South Asia typically consists of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. A basic draft memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Events NSW and council has been prepared and its contents are currently being discussed

Badgerys Creek. No second airport site

The Rudd Government has ruled out the 1700-hectare Badgerys Creek site for a second airport site. It will ensure it is developed into a major source of jobs and economic development for an area of high unemployment. A taskforce will be commissioned to conduct another inquiry into finding an alternative site and asked to examine short-term solutions to Sydney's air capacity problem, and use of Canberra, Richmond or Williamtown to help with overflow. The taskforce will not report until mid-2011. Property interests have called for the quick sale of the land to provide sites for employment and residential needs The Federal Government forcibly acquired the land from 240 landholders in the late 1980s, at a cost of $155 million.