DevelopmentWA claims its mission to draw major industry to Avon's Industrial Park has been boosted by growing business confidence in WA.
The head of the state’s land development agency has credited growing business confidence in Western Australia with underpinning interest in a new program aimed at drawing major industry to the Avon Industrial Park, with five lots sold in a matter of weeks.
A plan to utilise the park to drive economic growth in Northam is being spearheaded by DevelopmentWA’s Industrial Lands Authority, which has partnered with the Avon Community Development Foundation and the Wheatbelt Development Commission to offer grants of up to $1 million to attract employment generating industry to the industrial estate.
The Shire of Northam has established the Industry Attraction Fund to incentivise local business development and economic growth, attract new businesses and support existing businesses to substantially expand their operations.
The 473-hectare estate, about 116 kilometres from Perth, is designed to service the needs of agriculture, construction, resources, mineral processing markets, transport, logistics and manufacturing.
According to DevelopmentWA, four industrial lots with a combined area of 105ha have been purchased by one buyer who intend to expand operations, while a fifth lot (48,000 square metres) has been sold to a Perth buyer.
DevelopmentWA chief executive Frank Marra said the park had strong connections to strategic transport networks, the Transcontinental Railway and Great Eastern Highway, and was well-placed to service businesses in Perth, the Wheatbelt, Goldfields, Mid West and Northern regions.
“With signs of a strong economic recovery in WA, we are once again seeing accelerating demand for industrial land; and with the additional incentive on offer from the Shire of Northam, it’s not surprising to see buyers keen to secure a presence at Avon Industrial Park,” he said.
“Avon Industrial Park is ideally suited for a broad range of businesses, including those in the agriculture and resources support industries, innovative housing construction, minerals processing, transport and logistics, or manufacturing industries.
“This estate is a great example of the way we work with government and private partners to open up opportunities for businesses to relocate and expand their operations in the right place, at the right time.”
Business confidence in WA reached its highest level in 13 years late last year, according to the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Western Australia, driven by the strength of the mining sector, the state’s handling of COVID-19 and government stimulus measures.
Among the businesses already operating within the park are DE Engineers, Waste Equipment Solutions, Coast to Coast Truck Wreckers, CHC Scaffolding, Interquip, Precision Mechanical, and Nash Mining & Civil Equipment Rental.
