Parramatta. Acquisition of properties

Parramatta City Council has resolved to acquire properties at 160 Church Street, and 12, 14 and 28 Darcy Street, as part of its $1.6 billion Civic Place redevelopment project. Council will negotiate with each owner to reach agreement on the acquisition of the properties. If no agreement is reached council will seek from the Minister for Local Government to compulsorily acquire them. Council will ask the minister to compulsorily acquire Darcy Street enabling it to be incorporated into the Civic Place project including the development of public underground car parking and above ground pedestrian links and arcades.

Silverwater. Franklins sale may be piecemeal

South African retailer Pick n Pay will be forced to break up the struggling Franklins supermarket chain and sell the stores on a piecemeal basis if a proposed $215 million sale the Metcash, based at Silverwater, is blocked by the ACCC, according to The Australian Financial Review. The ACCC fears the deal could substantially lessen competition in the NSW grocery wholesaling market.

Region. Use of controversial mining techniques

Apex Energy NL, about to start coal seam gas drilling around southern Sydney and the Illawarra, plans to use the controversial ''fracking'' technique to mine directly beside Warragamba Dam, which holds much of the city's drinking water. An operation, which holds many other petroleum exploration licences around the edges of the city and jointly run by AGL and Sydney Gas, at Camden, uses the techniques. The gas industry says the process is long established in Australia and completely safe. A part 3A planning application process for the dam drilling process will commence in March 2011. Drilling of gas production wells is to commence in January 2012. Jeff Angel, the executive director of the Total Environment Centre, calls for a moratorium on new coal seam gas mining in NSW until a transparent, state-wide strategy is developed.

Region. Report on metropolitan strategy

Respondents to the reviews of the Sydney Metropolitan Strategy and the Metropolitan Transport Plan were highly critical of the government for scrapping the Epping to Parramatta rail link and over the seven-year delay of the north-west rail link. Councils said they could not continue to absorb new residents unless transport projects such as the north-west rail link were delivered, according to an independent report on the submissions.

Homebush. DFO could be sold

CFS Retail Property Trust is negotiating to buy half of the Direct Factory Outlet retail business, which has its flagship outlet at Homebush, in a $500 million deal to be funded through a fully underwritten capital raising by Goldman Sachs and Macquarie Capital. The $7.7 billion CFS Retail Property Trust owns high-profile luxury mall Chatswood Chase and the giant Chadstone shopping centre in Melbourne.

Region. Small business mentoring program

The Minister for Small Business, Frank Terenzini, said the Advanced Manufacturing Centre, at the Australian Technology Park, has received $20,000 to deliver the Small Business Mentoring Program in Western Sydney. “The objective of the Business Mentoring Program is to improve business development, networking and growth opportunities for NSW small businesses,” he said.

Granville. Area wiill be top priority

The NSW Cabinet has approved plans to establish the Sydney Metropolitan Development Authority (SMDA) which will create new sustainable urban centres with additional housing and commercial projects. The SMDA will assume the functions of the Redfern-Waterloo Authority (RWA). The government has identified Granville Town Centre and Auto Alley as the next area for Cabinet consideration. It is anticipated Redfern and Granville will be the two priority areas for the SMDA over the next 12 months.

Penrith. Mental health unit proposal

Sydney West Area Health Service seeks approval from the Department of Planning for a Integrated Mental Health Unit, at Nepean Hospital. The proposal includes construction of a three-storey building with a maximum gross floor area of 5611 square metres for 64 beds. The proposal is on public exhibition until October 25.