Region Hotel group expands

Accor Hotels and Resorts has expanded its operations in Western Sydney, with two new hotels coming online this month – the Mercure Liverpool, adjoining the Liverpool Catholic Club, and the Novotel Rooty Hill, formerly the Holiday Inn Rooty Hill. Accor has Pullman, Ibis, Novotel, Mercure and Formule 1 properties across the region. “The best performing hotel in the past year was Novotel Sydney Olympic Park, followed by Mercure Parramatta, said Accor spokesperson, Peter Hook. “Novotel Sydney Olympic Park does consistently well and Pullman Sydney Olympic Park was the fastest improver from 2008. Grand Mercure Hills Lodge, in the Hills, is very strong in business times, and Formule 1 hotels are relatively recession proof, with Enfield and Wentworthville varying little in occupancy over the past four years,” he said. Mr Hook said Accor’s hotels in Western Sydney were forecast to record their best occupancies since 2007/early 2008 thanks to a revival in conference and corporate travel, growth in events and the lack of new supply. Pullman Sydney Olympic Park is Western Sydney's only 5-star hotel.

Parramatta. Institute moves premises

Parramatta City Council has approved a DA allowing the Sydney Technical Institute, a hospitality-training centre, to fit out and occupy part of the second floor, of the building on the north west corner of Macquarie and Church streets, in the CBD, for an educational establishment with up to 120 students. The institute is currently located in the former Brand Smart retail complex, in Church street overlooking the Parramatta River.

Parramatta. An eight-storey project

Beraci Pty Ltd has lodged a development application with Parramatta City Council for Demolition and construction of a 8-storey mixed use development, at 171 Parramatta Road , Granville, containing 104 residential units and commercial floor space on the ground floor and construction of 4 x 2 storey attached dual occupancies along Victoria Street.

Penrith. $32 million project

PacLib Management proposes to establish a $32 million printing, warehouse and distribution facility consisting of two buildings, with a total gross floor area of 59,000 square metres and associated infrastructure, at Lenore Drive, Erskine Park, within the Penrith local government area. Construction jobs: 100. Operational jobs: 120. The proposal is on public exhibition until March 15

Parramatta. Firm ranked highly

ThomsonAdsett, an architectual firm with seven offices in Australia, including one in Parramatta, and others in Dubai, Hong Kong and Jakarta, has been ranked 25th in the world on the basis of its profitability and the number of architects employed. Established Parramatta firm, Glanville Architects, merged with the Sydney office of ThomsonAdsett, in June 2009, and located its NSW operations to larger premises in Parramatta. Charles Glanville is the managing director, of ThomsonAdsett New South Wales. “The combined teams … and the added strength and capacity this brings will allow us to tackle larger projects in new markets," Mr Glanville said at the time of the merger.