Greystanes. $20 million and 50 jobs

Solaris Paper, an affiliate of Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) and supplier of high quality tissue products, has announced plans to initially invest $20 million in a state-of-the-art conversion facility, which will be on an 18,600 square metre site occupying 3.8 hectares in the new $420 million, 47-hectare Greystanes industrial estate, owned and developed by DEXUS Property Group. The facility will be equipped with a modern and environmentally efficient production line which will produce high quality value-added tissue products including facial and toilet tissues, napkins and paper towels. Production is scheduled to commence in late 2010 and initially create around 50 jobs.

Parramatta. Tenders called for CBD site

Tenders have been called for the sale of a potential mixed-use development site of approximately 2016 square metres, at 5-7 Parkes Street, Parramatta. The site is zoned B4 mixed use, with a FSR of 4.0:1, Tenders close on May 5 with Jones Lang LaSalle.

Blacktown. $15.5 million in federal funding

Funding of $15.5-million provided so far from the Federal Government’s Housing Affordability Fund will fund essential housing and infrastructure works in the Blacktown LGA. The Minister for Western Sydney, David Borger, said $7.5 million has been allocated to the NSW Department of Planning to provide infrastructure for the 75-hectare Bungarribee Residential estate, at Doonside, for up to 730 homes to be jointly developed by the Department of Planning and Landcom. Mr Borger said $8 million has also been allocated to Housing NSW to provide infrastructure in Seven Hills in an area adjacent to the train station and retail and commercial area to upgrade in electricity, sewerage, roads and drainage, which would benefit all owners and residents in the precinct.

Parramatta. Sydney's centre at Ermington

The population centre of Sydney remains in Ermington, in the Parramatta LGA, where it has been for more than a decade, according to ABS figures. Every lLGA in Sydney recorded a population increase in the year to June 30 last year, with Blacktown (6900 people), Parramatta and the Hills Shire (each with 4800 people) recording the largest increases in residents for the second consecutive year. The fastest growth rates were largely found in the inner west, with Canada Bay and Strathfield holding the first and third positions respectively. Auburn ranked second. The NSW population centre is located on the banks of the Hawkesbury River in the Hills Shire. ''Between June 2004 and June 2009, the centre moved approximately 1.2 kilometres east,'' the ABS found. Sydney’s population passed the 4.5 million mark for the first time.