Industrial push

A LOCAL syndicate at Ellenbrook has put forward its case for turning 2,000 hectares of vacant land north of the suburb into a light industrial and commercial hub.

The North Ellenbrook Landowners Group is advocating the site in preference to the state’s government’s proposal to locate a large industrial area in Bullsbrook, which was detailed in the Industrial Land Strategy.

The group said the north Ellenbrook site would provide greater outcomes because of its proximity to major transport links, including the Perth-Geraldton freight railway and the Swan Valley Bypass – stage one of the Perth to Darwin Highway.

The group added that the site would make the proposed extension of the passenger rail line more viable, with commuters travelling both directions for employment.

Alcock Brown-Neaves Group developments manager, Jason Willoughby, said the North Ellenbrook industrial precinct “makes sense”.

“Where a lot of this industrial development activity is going is up to the northern sectors, and there have been a lot of action groups complaining about all the trucks going up the Great Northern Highway through the Swan Valley,” Mr Willoughby said.

“This will alleviate that, it will take all the trucks off and allow for intermodal de-linking at North Ellenbrook. That, to me, seems like a good investment hot spot.”

Also, the North Ellenbrook site has the potential to create a significant employment node, Mr Willoughby said.

“In Ellenbrook and Mandurah there is no employment,” he said.

“Mandurah has one of the highest unemployment rates in the country and the reason being is there are no surrounding industrial areas.

“Ellenbrook’s is fast heading that way as well because people travel so far to go to work.”

“You need industrial activity around you to not only create jobs, but also the flow on effect of industrial being there, commercial and that sort of thing as well.”

Swan Hills MLA Frank Alban gave his full support to a light industrial and commercial development at Ellenbrook in state parliament last month.

He said a light industrial and commercial development at North Ellenbrook, similar in nature to Malaga, was a “logical improvement” for the area.

The landowner group will lodge a submission to the Department of Planning to illustrate the benefits of its proposal.