Region. High-quality infrastructure needed

''Norwest Business Park and Sydney Olympic Park show investors will move when there's high-quality infrastructure in place,” said Professor Phillip O’Neill, director, of the Parramatta-based UWS Urban Research Centre, when commenting on the Hunter Economic Zone being placed into receivership. The NSW Government said, in 2002, when property developer Hardie Holdings won approval for the 870-hectare industrial park near Cessnock, that it would be the biggest employment lands development in the state, providing more than 10,000 jobs and attracting $2 billion in investment. Professor O'Neill, who advised Cessnock Council on potential uses for the land, said he was not surprised the zone had gone into receivership, as the site never had enough infrastructure to attract investors. ''If there's a lesson from the HEZ site it is that ideal land alone won't attract quality investment,” he said.

Parramatta. Grocery shop in Church Street

OK Supermarket-Parramatta Pty Ltd has lodged a DA with Parramatta City Council to fit out the former St George Bank premises, at 232 Church Street, as a grocery shop. The application is under preliminary assessment.

Region. UWS Library wins accreditation

The University of Western Sydney Library has recently achieved International Standards Organisation (ISO) 9001 Accreditation for its network of seven libraries. To achieve ISO accreditation, UWS Library developed a comprehensive quality management system which records all processes, procedures and client satisfaction measures. Regular reviews of procedures and services were also requirements of the accreditation. The complexities of delivering a consistent, high standard of service across different geographic locations and covering a diverse range of academic disciplines made the challenges of meeting the ISO 9001 even greater for UWS Library. UWS librarian, Ms Liz Curach, said few libraries achieve formal quality accreditation and even fewer university libraries meet the exacting requirements of the ISO 9001.

Silverwater. Hastie Group wins $119m contract

The Hastie Group, at Silverwater, an international provider of technical services to the building and infrastructure sectors, has been awarded a $119 million contract, by Bovis Lend Lease, to provide mechanical, hydraulic and medical gas services for the new $1.76 billion Gold Coast University Hospital, in Queensland.

Penrith. TV station goes digital

TVS, Sydney's Community Television station, based at the Werrington campus of the University of Western Sydney, has become the first community channel to officially begin simulcasting “As secretary of the Australian Community Television Alliance, TVS CEO, Laurie Patton, was instrumental in delivering this outcome for Community TV and its passionate audiences nation-wide, so it is fitting that Laurie is the first to get his station to air in digital," said Senator Stephen Conroy, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy..

Region. UWS vice-chancellor is one of 10

Professor Janice Reid, vice-chancellor of the University of Western Sydney, is among 10 finalists in the NSW Woman of the Year award,. The NSW Minister for Women, Jodi McKay, will announce the winner on International Women's Day, Monday, March 8.

North Ryde. Uni numbers expected to surge

Macquarie University is expecting student numbers to surge from 937 last year to between 1500 and 2000 this year, following the adoption of a new marketing strategy. The university is on track to meet its target of 50 exhibitors, at its careers fair this month, however only two government agencies are booked, compared to five to 10 usually. Companies don’t seem to be concerned about the cost of the booths this year [this] may relate to the recovery from the financial downturn last year,” said Darren Peters, director of campus engagement in The Australian Financial Review

Parramatta. Non-residential value up 19.7%

The value of non-residential building approvals in the Parramatta local government area was $142.9 million over the year to December 2009, representing a significant increase of 19.7 per cent, over the $119.3 million recorded in the corresponding period in 2008. The value of private sector approvals, in 2008/09, was $68.2 million and that for public sector approvals was $74.7 million, according to Parramatta City Council’s Biz Facts autumn/winter 2010 edition. Approximately 51 per cent of the private sector approvals was in inner Parramatta (including the CBD).