Parramatta. Shell closure 'in weeks'

The boards of Shell Australia and Shell Refining Australia are expected to make a call on whether to close the Clyde refinery ''in weeks not months''. If the decision is to close Clyde, the facility would become an import terminal., with a likely reduction in the workforce from 310 to 30 to 50 employees. The company said it would try to redeploy other workers in either its upstream business or at the Geelong refinery. Shell says it will replace output from the Clyde refinery, which supplies about 40 per cent of the fuel needs in NSW. with imports from Asia. Shell says the refinery requires significant investment, including a maintenance turnaround scheduled for mid-2013. If the proposal is approved, the turnaround will not go ahead and the refinery will be converted into a fuel import terminal by mid-2013. The refinery has been owned by Shell since 1928.

Parramatta. Council requests government

Parramatta City Council will request the NSW government that Joint Regional Planning Panels (JRPP) be abolished, along with the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 (AHSEPP). The JRPPs, which were introduced to determine applications deemed to be of regional significance, removes the voice of councils in the assessment of development proposals and also limits the ability of residents to raise their concerns. The AHSEPP aims to help address affordable housing needs and provides a range of initiatives to encourage the development of new affordable rental housing. The application of this policy has allowed development to take place which is inconsistent with local planning standards and with the character of local areas.

Glendenning. Relocation at $100 psm

Steel-Line Garage Doors has moved from Arndell Park to Glendenning after signing a three-lease, with a three-year option, for a 1946-square-metre industrial facility, at a rent of $100 net per square metre. The company will use the facility for its production and distribution business. Marcel Elias and Paul McGlynn, of Colliers International, negotiated the deal. Steel-Line has been operating across Australia since 1979. In April 2007, Steel-Line was acquired by the private equity firm Crescent Capital whose aim is to build Steel-Line to be the leading provider of vehicular access products and systems.

Prestons. Retail centre for sale

Hoxton Park Centre, fully leased, and near new major retail investment, corner Hoxton Park Road and Lyn Parade Prestons, with a GLA of 27,126 square metres approximately, is for sale through Jones Lang LaSalle. Tenants include Bunnings Warehouse, Officeworks, Kennards Self Storage and McDonald’s. Net income is $3.6 million approximately