Penrith

Plans for Emu Plains jobs hub

 DALLAS SHERRINGHAM

PENRITH City Council has bought 16ha of prime industrial land in Emu Plains which it plans to turn into a major jobs hub for the west.

Council said in a release that the purchase of the industrial land at 158-164 Old Bathurst Rd, Emu Plains, would enhance local employment opportunities and stimulate the local economy.

Th e site, previously home to concrete pipe supplier Rocla until 2020, is in a prime position to become a new industrial and employment hub set to unlock one of the biggest industrial land parcels in the suburb in more than 14 years.

Penrith Mayor Karen McKeown said the purchase of the site aligned with Council’s strategic vision for Penrith to become a world-class city with employment opportunities close to home.

“Th ese will complement our other city transformation projects at Soper Place, 131 Henry Street, City Park and Regatt a Park.”

“As part of the revitalisation of our city, Council has purchased the site for a future industrial precinct to diversify our local job opportunities, att ract investment to our city and locate businesses close to home,” Cr McKeown said.

“We need to signifi cantly increase our employment hubs in Penrith with our population set to grow by 60,000 in the next 10 years and over half of our working population already commuting outside the area each day for work.

“Our proposed industrial precinct at Emu Plains will help us to achieve our employment targets by creating 300–350 new jobs once complete in essential industries such as advanced manufacturing, logistics, warehouse distribution and construction.

“Th is new project will also inject $36.4M into our local economy each year, helping to support our recovery from COVID-19,” Cr McKeown added.

Council will seek to subdivide the site to improve the limited supply of medium-sized industrial land in the Penrith Local Government Area. Th is will help to att ract more than 40 businesses, large and small, to base their operations in Emu Plains and provide much-needed space for local businesses to start up or scale up.

Above: Nepean River and right Penrith Mayor, Karen McKeown.

Th is strategic site will leverage the close proximity to the Penrith CBD, Blue Mountains, the M4 Motorway, Emu Plains train station and the proposed adjacent State Government commuter car park.

As an industrial site, 158-164 Old Bathurst Rd will help Council to diversify its portfolio of projects, to reduce reliance on rate income and allow Council to continue to provide high-quality services for the community now and into the future.

Council has now fi nalised contracts with sett lement due in 2023 and can now start the planning phases of the project with a development application expected to be lodged in mid-2022.

SOURCE: Penrith City Council