Consideration of Shell's conversion proposal

Shell’s multi-million Clyde Terminal Conversion proposal is under consideration by the Department of Planning & Infrastructure.

Shell sought development consent for the demolition of the existing processing units, surplus storage tanks and other redundant infrastructure; and upgrades and improvements to storage tanks to be retained at the site to enable more efficient receipt, dosing, storage and distribution of imported finished petroleum products.

Shell, which ceased refining operations at the terminal in late 2012, used the refinery for the receipt and refining of crude oil and receipt of imported finished product from Gore Bay via a 19-kilometre pipeline.

Finished products stored at the refinery were then distributed by pipeline to Sydney Airport and Newcastle and via road haulage to other sites, said the environmental impact statement (EIS) prepared by AECOM Australia.

Shell has decided to convert the refinery, which has been operating since 1928, and the terminal into finished product facilities received at the Gore Bay Terminal by sea tankers and transferred via the existing pipeline to the Clyde site to continue to supply the domestic fuel markets and capitalise on the company’s existing land and infrastructure, on the Camellia Industrial Estate.

The demolition and removal of infrastructure at the terminal would also release approximately 44.5 hectares of land in the western section in the refinery for future use, and around 25 hectares within the north-eastern portion of the site for potential future redevelopment for employment-generating activities.

The EIS noted Parramatta City Council’s economic strategy recognises the importance of maintaining the industrial character of the industrial estate, which is “identified as an employment area that would be suitable for renewal as an employment rich knowledge precinct, providing highly skilled and knowledge based employment concentrating on advanced construction and energy with a focus on renewables, and also perhaps on research and development”.

The nearby Rosehill Gardens Racecourse has been identified by council as an area that could be further improved upon to provide retail, food, ATM and recreational facilities to support this workforce on the industrial estate.

Key initiatives funded by levy on business

  

Key initiatives in Parramatta City Council's levy on the business community, in 2012/13, included establishing the Parramatta Partnership Forum; brokering and the Westmead Alliance and producing the Westmead Concept and Infrastructure Costing Plan.

To support such endeavours, council created a new management position dedicated to building capacity in the City Centre street economy, according to the lates annual report..

The Economic Development team oversaw the redesign and relaunch of the Parramatta farmers markets and provided marketing support for the Parramatta Lanes event. This project part-funded the Time Out Visitor Guide and the roll out of an induction program for the City’s   new commercial tenant QBE Insurance Parramatta.

The Economic Development team provided valuable support for launch events for the light rail proposals and major property developments; business consultation and     diagnostic works at Camellia; sponsoring and support of the Western  Sydney Wanderers inaugural season and the commissioning studies into the retail sector in response to the Westfield development application and start-up opportunities in the Darcy Street and Church Street Mall precinct

The Economic Development Levy provided $70,000 in grant funding to business institutions peak bodies and business-specific media publishers. It also funded modelling software, a range of association memberships, the ID Economy statistical module on Council’s website, and the annual    State of the City address in partnership with the Parramatta Chamber of Commerce.