Karratha building keeps on booming

RESIDENTIAL and commercial construction in Karratha is set to grow rapidly after the state government short-listed three companies for what will become the largest new development in the town.

Lend Lease, Australand and Mirvac have been shortlisted to develop five sites in Karratha’s city centre and a 160-hectare, 2,500-dwelling estate at Mulataga.

The city centre redevelopment will feature medium density commercial, retail and residential opportunities.

The short-list was selected from nine developers that responded to LandCorp’s expressions of interest for the project late last year.

A winning proponent is expected to be announced in September.

Lands Minister Brendon Grylls said having development companies of this quality focus their interest in the region was an historic moment for Karratha and clear evidence that the ‘Pilbara Cities’ initiative was succeeding.

There has been a surge in private development activity in Karratha, Port Hedland and South Hedland under the Pilbara Cities program.

Other developments under the program include the state government’s selection last month of Alcock-Brown Neaves Group to build 80 new homes in the Karratha suburb of Tambrey.

ABN Group will buy the 5.3ha site from LandCorp, and develop the project over 32 months.

In a related project, LandCorp has appointed a private consortium to develop the Tambrey Neighbourhood Centre. The Karratha Consortium, comprising FJM Equities, Nomad Building Solutions subsidiary Rapley Wilkinson and Raydale Holdings, will develop 10ha of medium density housing, commercial and retail space.

It plans to include townhouses, low-rise apartments, short-stay apartments and affordable housing, developed in tandem with Foundation Housing.

A project already under way is Pindan’s development of 300 homes next to LandCorp’s existing Nickol estate.

LandCorp sold the 24ha site, west of Balmoral Road, to Pindan.

Another major project, managed by Finbar Group, involves construction of a 10-storey apartment building in Karratha.

The project will have about 300 residential apartments along with 3,000 square metres of shops, offices and food outlets.

Finbar said it would be valued on completion at $225 million.

It has erected a construction workers camp and commenced site mobilisation.

On a smaller scale, LandCorp partnered with National Lifestyle Villages last year to develop a $30 million housing estate.