THE number of businesses in industrial areas has increased dramatically recently, according to the Industrial Land Use Survey 1997 for Perth, released by the Ministry for Planning.
Business in this sector increased from 8,046 in 1985 to 13,528 in 1997, while total floorspace in industrial areas within the Perth metropolitan region (PMR) in-creased 12 per cent to 10,620,788 square metres from 1993, with a 9 per cent vacancy rate.
The survey found the most significant increase in kinds of industrial establishments between 1993 and 1997 was in office/business and storage and distribution.
The survey found that the Kewdale-Welshpool industrial complex had the highest number of people employed and the largest amount of floorspace.
It also established that 57 per cent of industrial land in the PMR is situated in the southern suburbs.
Ministry for Planning CEO Gary Prattley said the survey focuses on changes in land area, land use, floorspace and employment in industrial areas within the metropolitan region.
“It also outlines trends in employment, floorspace and establishments as well as identifying the different types of land use activities occurring within each metropolitan industrial area,” Mr Prattley said.
“The results from the 1997 survey of industrial land are compared with previous results from the 1990 and 1993 surveys.
“Industry within the PMR is primarily focussed towards the provision of products for the local housing/construction industry, with the only significant exception being the manufacture of goods for the State’s mining industry.”
Highlights from the survey indicate increases in the numbers of persons employed, businesses/ establishments and total floorspace in industrial areas.
Mr Prattley said employment in the office/business and service industry has increased significantly with retail, storage and distribution declining. The proportion of people employed in manufacturing activities has declined.