Parramatta. Education dept leases space

The NSW Department of Education and Training will be the anchor tenant, leasing 6500 square metres of office space, in the Signature Tower, at 2 Wentworth Street, in the Parramatta CBD, on a five-year term for an initial effective rent of $360 per square metre. The building, now 95 per cent leased, is the largest leasing transaction in the CBD in three years, according to The Australian Financial Review The B-Grade is owned and managed by Charter Hall Direct Property Fund.

Bankstown. KISS relocates to airport

Chep Pallets agent, Keep It Simple Systems Pty Ltd (KISS), will establish new facilities, valued at some $4 million, on the western perimeter of Sydney Metro Airport Bankstown. KISS will enter a ten-year lease for a new 7000-square-metre pallet recycling and storage facility. Construction is timed to commence in June, with completion due prior to the end of 2010. Bankstown Airport Limited CEO, Kim Ellis, said that the relocation of KISS, from St Peters to the airport maintained the momentum in attracting both industry and aviation businesses to the airport precinct. “With the impending arrival of KISS, staff numbers working in the airport’s business precinct have grown to over 6000 in the past few years. This significantly benefits local economies and the opportunity for business partnerships to develop,” he said. Mr Ellis listed several local and international companies that have recently relocated or established facilities at the airport including Bunnings, Pickles Auctions and French helicopter engine specialist Turbomeca.

Fairfield. Top gaming pub withdrawn

The Cambridge Tavern, in Fairfield, has been withdrawn from auction to allow negotiations to take place with a number of interested parties, according to The Australian Financial Review, which said the property was one of the top gaming pubs in NSW.

Penrith. New jobs for the city

A new Trade Secrets retail facility will open. on the corner of Station and High Street, bringing with it 50 new jobs to the CBD. Fit n Fast, will open as its first Sydney location, in June, on Henry Street, creating a further 40 jobs and drawing an estimated 5000 to 8000 visitors to the CBD per week. “The new retailer and fitness chain demonstrates a return of business confidence in the CBD. (They) will provide value for consumers, while also taking advantage of a large population catchment and strong local economic fundamentals,” said Bijai Kumar, CEO, of the Penrith Business Alliance.

Sydney Olympic Park. Home to awards event

After a national bidding process, Sydney Olympic Park will be the home of the Australian Event Awards for the next three years. The winning bid pipped venues and destinations from around Australia as the most suitable place for the events industry to gather for the Australian Event Awards presentation, in October each year through to 2012. Sydney Olympic Park hosts more than 2,500 business events every year

The Hills. 'Closer than you think'

Coinciding with the news that Australians are preferring to take shorter holidays and visit attractions in the local area, The Hills, Hawkesbury and Riverlands Tourism body – with the slogan, Closer than you think – plans to reopen Mungerie House, at Rouse Hill, in its efforts to develop an attractive, professional and sustainable tourism industry in the Hills and Hawkesbury areas of Sydney

Parramatta. Conversion of shops to units

Parramatta City Council has under preliminary assessment an application from Meriton Apartments Pty Ltd to convert 20 retail shops to 16 residential units, at 180 George Street. The estimated cost of the development is $2.9 million.