An $11 million central services facility will be built at the Australian Marine Complex at Henderson to act as a meeting, shopping and entertainment hub for tenants and visitors from early 2008.
Universal Constructions will shortly begin work on a site located within the 50-hectare Technology Precinct, immediately east of the main Australian Marine Complex.
Spread over 1,345 square metres, the two double-storey buildings will feature a large function and conference centre and a business and technology centre, with a 592sq m tavern/bistro, four retail outlets of 74sq m each, and recreational facilities on the ground floor totalling 66sq m.
The facility will provide support and social amenities for the technology based organisations moving into the park, including US defence technology contractor Raytheon Australia, and Challenger TAFE, which is building a $21 million Australian Centre for Energy and Process Training adjacent to the new facility.
Melville Cockburn Chamber of Commerce president Steven Knight told WA Business News there were relatively few places for businesses to hold conferences and client functions in the area.
He considered the purpose-built facility to be unique and the first of its kind in WA and believed it could even assist in winning contracts for WA.
“It’s certainly going to be an advantage for us because it’s been difficult to hold functions in the area in the past,” he said.
“We’ve got members there who have no room to entertain, so this will allow them to take visitors on a two-minute drive to surrounding projects and also provide refreshments on-site.”
Industry and Enterprise Minister Fran Logan said in a statement the facility would be at the heart of the precinct and a place that would bring major players together for strategic collaboration and business development activities.
“This will ensure WA is at the forefront of innovation and technology development in these sectors, creating jobs and, in turn, economic opportunities for WA,” Mr Logan said.
The release of plans for the new facility have also coincided with the government’s announcement of a $174 million infrastructure upgrade at the AMC including the addition of a floating dock, a new transfer system, an extension to the eastern wharf and electricity upgrades.
The upgrade is expected to create up to 3,000 jobs over the next 10 years.
