APP Corporation is looking to expand its business in the state’s north-west after being appointed as project manager for Stage 1 of LandCorp’s Gap Ridge industrial estate in Karratha.
The 260-hectare estate will provide premises for businesses servicing the region’s fast growing LNG, iron ore and other industries.
It will be LandCorp’s next major industrial land release in the Pilbara and adds to major investments in Karratha as part of the state government’s Pilbara Cities program.
The estate, located between Dampier and Karratha, will include the development of new roads and streetscapes, as well as the provision of water, power and communication services.
Completion of the estate is expected to take six years, comprising four different stages that will result in 114 lots for general and light industry.
APP project director Peter Kay said the deal gave the company the opportunity to expand its already extensive project portfolio into the rapidly developing Pilbara area.
“It gives us entry into what is undoubtedly the fastest growing region in WA, being the Pilbara,” he said.
Mr Kay said the Pilbara should no longer be thought of as simply a fly-in, fly-out zone and there should be a focus on creating sustainable urban infrastructure.
“Projects like Gap Ridge are all about creating permanent infrastructure and long-term sustainability,” he said.
APP is currently working on a range of WA projects including the Bankwest Tower redevelopment for Brookfield and Stockland, the Curtin University Engineering Pavilion and projects at Perth Airport for Westralia Airport Corporation.
A subsidiary of ASX listed Transfield Services, APP has more than quadrupled its staff numbers in WA in the past year, growing from eight to 35.
Manager for Urban Development in WA, Kith Clark, credited much of the company’s expansion to the growing volume of work with existing clients.
“Clients such as Perth Airport, LandCorp and other government agencies have driven the expansion of the company,” he said.
Stage 1 of Gap Ridge is targeted for completion by October 2011.
