Bringelly.Firm found guilty of dumping

The Land and Environment Court has found waste disposal company, Shannongrove Pty Ltd, at Silverdale, guilty of dumping 5659 tonnes of “waste” on a 283-hectare commercial dairy farm, at Bringelly, between January 2005 and July 2006. The farm had been operating as a dairy at the time, supplying milk to Dairy Farmers. An EPA spokesperson said the maximum fine for the offence was $1 million. It is understood Shannongrove plans to appeal, according to The Sunday Telegraph.

Parramatta. EOI in leagues clus property

The Parramatta Leagues Club has a 2420-square-metre corner block, opposite the club, up for auction on October 12. A DA has been approved for the construction of three office buildings, car park and the restoration of two existing cottages. Laing and Simmons Parramatta Commercial said the block has potential for further residential development.

Auburn. EOI in RSL Club

Expressions of interest have been called for the redevelopment of the Auburn RSL Club. The 7770-square-metre site, zoned for mixed use, has a 4077-square-metre car park.

Castle Hill. Revitalisation plans

The Terminus Street car park at Castle Hill will become home to a 500-seat theatre, 18-storey apartment block and a civic square, similar to Melbourne's Federation Square, according to Hills Mayor Peter Dimbrowsky. Council will allow for developments of up to five storeys to be built on the eastern side of Old Northern Road, opposite Castle Towers, which has started its own preparations to extend over to Pennant Street. "There is a demand for office space and we can deliver that. While Norwest is predominantly a business park, Castle Hill will be a centre for retail, entertainment and leisure,” he said. Council had approved plans permitting 18-storey buildings to be built in the Crane Road precinct and in Gay Street as a means of revitalising the area.

Penrith. Gerry Harvey spends $61 million

Retailer Gerry Harvey has spent $61 million to buy 900 car spots as part of a feud with a rival retailer. The feud relates to the Penrith Supa Centa and its plans to build an extension over a parking lot used by Harvey Norman customers. Mr Harvey bought the property when the developer of the project, Pipven, went into receivership. "It cost $61 million to buy the property. It was a very expensive way to get rid of the problem, but now it has disappeared," Mr Harvey said.

Ryde. Uni academic wins award

Dr Melanie Bishop, from Macquarie University’s Department of Biological Sciences, has been recognised for her work on coastal conservation from an ecosystem context, at the NSW Scientist of the Year Awards. She received her award in the Environment, Water and Climate Change Sciences category. The award, which includes a $5000 prize, was presented by NSW State Governor, Professor Marie Bashir AC. Bishop shared the award with Professor Andrew Pitman from the University of New South Wales.

Campbelltown. ADSL access improved

Strong local demand for broadband services from businesses and residents in the Glen Alpine and Macquarie Links areas has resulted in improved ADSL access, following Telstra’s recent completion of a capacity project. "We started planning for additional broadband ADSL some months ago following consultation with residents and businesses, who were keen to access the service, but were unable due to capacity limitations," said Telstra's area general manager, Jonathon Grahame, in the Macarthur Advertiser.

The Hills. Boost to tourism activity

Riverside Oaks could become the site of a Jack Nicklaus golfing university, a marina, a riverside concert arena that could seat 5000 people, a five-star hotel and an ecological village. The expansion was one of a series of events listed by Hills Mayor Peter Dimbrowsky in council’s plans to market the region as a tourist destination. “We’ve got some fantastic results, we’ve got out of WSROC and have created our own voice,” he said.

Badgerys Creek. Restrictions still in place

Restrictions put in place in compliance with the Australian Noise Exposure Forecasts around the proposed airport at Badgerys Creek, limiting residents from building extensions on their homes or making other modifications, are still in place, according to the Liverpool Champion. This is despite a federal government aviation white paper, in December 2009, which announced the airport would not be built. A Liverpool City Council spokeswoman said it was up to the NSW Department of Planning to determine when this would happen.