Penrith. Economic body goes upmarket

As part of its repositioning and rebranded, the Penrith Business Alliance (formerly the Penrith Valley Economic Development Corporation) has relocated to new premises and revamped its website The new offices place the PBA in more modern facilities, at 95 Henry Street, in the CBD, to reflect its professionalism and role in working with the business community. The new offices would allow the PBA to carry out its work of attracting premier investors to the region in an environment conducive to smart business, a spokesperson said. The new website is www.penrithbusinessalliance.com.au

Badgerys Creek. Hub for airport site?

The Federal Government has commissioned a committee to suggest possible uses for the Badgerys Creek airport site. Developer lobby group, the Urban Taskforce, has already circulated the idea of a hub. Liverpool Mayor, Wendy Waller, has described a suggestion to turn the site into an industrial and commercial hub for the region as a good idea. Liverpool councillor, Peter Harle, said were a hub to go ahead, a lot of work would need to be done on the area's infrastructure, including its road and rail infrastructure.

Region. Business parks a priority

Professor O’Neill, director of the Parramatta-based UWS Urban Research Centre, said the overall success of the Sydney economy depended on the performance of the Western Sydney regional economy, and infrastructure investment new business and employment parks should be a priority. “Without efficient infrastructure, job availability will fall, investment in new industries will stagnate and opportunities for migrants will diminish,” he said. Professor O’Neill said recent experience showed firms would move to Western Sydney when quality employment lands were created. “Norwest and Sydney Olympic Park are excellent examples of the jobs creation potential that comes from quality business parks. It is a shame that Western Sydney’s next park is not yet ready to go,” He said the most alarming investment shortfall was in public transport.

Smithfield. Assessment on printing facility

The NSW Department of Planning has on exhibition an environmental assessment of a project by PBL Media Printing to operate a printing facility and associated infrastructure on an existing industrial site, in the Smithfield industrial area. The facility would produce around 64,000 tonnes of magazines and other printed material for public and wholesale outlets. The exhibition period ceases on March 8.

Auburn. Hospital partnership

The Auburn Hospital Clinical School, a partnership between Auburn Hospital, the University of Notre Dame and the School of Medicine Sydney, has accepted the first group of 24 cultural-diverse student doctors, who have completed two pre-clinical years of the graduate course, at Notre Dame. They will spend 12 months gaining hands-on experience in one of Sydney’s fastest-growing multicultural regions, according to the Parramatta Advertiser