By NOEL MURPHY
PURCHASE or lease interest in industrial land north of Geelong could lead to a billion dollars in investment and 1000 jobs, according to Mayor Darryn Lyons.
Potential investors have eyed off more than 100 hectares of land worth $40 million in the Geelong Ringroad Employment Precinct (GREP) in the past 12 to 18 months, he told the Independent.
Other private developments within the precinct would lead to even greater investment and jobs, Cr Lyons said.
City of Greater Geelong finished the first stage 25 McManus Rd last year, with a steel manufacturing company and a waste processing plant – AusNovus – under development after investing in the precinct.
The completion of Production Way this month allowed Accensi to invest $25 million in two large factories on a five-hectare site it bought from City Hall.
“As well as construction of Broderick Rd and Production Way at a cost of $3 million, council has constructed the Elcho sewer pumping station along Production Way, which will service 250 hectares of industrial land at the GREP and facilitate even further development,” Cr Lyons said.
Production Way will extend further in 2015 to enable the relocation and expansion of the Rocke Brothers transport and logistics company from Lara, which the Independent revealed last month.
The City is building Success Crt off O’Briens Road and has sold land off the plan for a concrete manufacturer and an environmental services company.
The development would also create several new serviced lots of land that were already generating interest, Cr Lyons said.
The City built O’Briens Rd and associated drainage facilities in 2011, enabling major development such as a Ritchie Brothers auction site.
“Several lots along O’Briens Rd are currently being developed, including a CFA service department, Plumbtec and Brad Drew Trucks and the road is a scene of intense construction activity,” Cr Lyons said.
Five years ago council bought 63 hectares north of Production Way for a drainage basin to service the ring road industrial estate. The basin also protected the downstream Grand Lakes estate and Lara township from flooding as well as RAMSAR wetlands at Limeburners Lagoon.
“Not all the lot was required and council has negotiated a lease of the remaining land for a major agribusiness leading to the creation of about 100 jobs and $100 million of investment,” Cr Lyons said.
