A $40 million warehouse to employ 300 staff at Avalon Airport is on a fast-track to opening, a federal minister has announced.
Construction of Cotton On’s 35,000-square-metre building would begin in the middle of this year after easing of planning regulations for the federally owned site, said Defence Personnel Minister Dan Tehan.
Cotton On plans to use the warehouse as a distribution centre for its global clothing brands. The company is headquartered in North Geelong.
Mr Tehan said the Department of Defence, which leases the land to Linfox Group subsidiary Avalon Airport Australia, signed a deed to fast-track the Cotton On facility.
“We cut the red tape and removed unnecessary impediments, which means construction can start almost a year earlier on a project that will bring jobs and economic growth to the Geelong region,” he said.
Corangamite MP Sarah Henderson, who joined Mr Tehan for Thursday’s announcement, said the warehouse was “expected to support around 300 long-term jobs”.
“By streamlining the ordinary Department of Defence planning requirements, which apply to any project valued at more than $20 million, our government continues to focus on driving investment and jobs across the Geelong and Corangamite regions,” she said.
“This is a great outcome for Avalon Airport and Cotton On, a global retail success story with its headquarters based here in Geelong.
“In October 2015 our government endorsed the Avalon Airport master plan, which provides for a significant expansion of the airport’s operations as well as the establishment of non-aviation related developments.”
The Avalon plan also proposes expansion of the airport’s existing domestic terminal to accommodate international operations; new international and airfreight terminals; new runways; a factory outlet-style retail site; an airport rail line; and recreational and sport facilities.
The airport master plan provided “a great opportunity for new developments (that) will create jobs and significant economic benefits for our region”, the MPs said.
