Blacktown. $140 million investment

The Department of Planning has issued its requirements for the environmental assessment to be prepared for the redevelopment of the 17-hectare Parklea Markets site, to include a 12 storey, 336 room, 4.5 star hotel, an exhibition/convention centre and a growers market. The proposed development will have a capital investment value of around $140 million dollars and provide up to 1500 full-time employees to operate the development in any one year. The project,to be completed, in two stages, could take 3-5 years to complete. The applicant is Almona Pty Ltd, owned by Con Constantine. The Parklea Markets building is the largest indoor market in the southern hemisphere.

Parklea. Jail privatised

Corrective Services Minister, John Robertson, has announced that the GEO Group, which operates the jail at Junee, has been selected to operate the Parklea Correctional Centre, making it the second correctional facility in the state under private management. GEO was expected to start operations at Parklea by the end of this year. Mr Robertson said privatisation would lead to $60 million in savings