WESTRALIA Airports Corporation has developed a formal vision for the Perth International Airport as a gateway in the South East Asian region with potential investment worth an estimated $100 billion.
WESTRALIA Airports Corporation has developed a formal vision for the Perth International Airport as a gateway in the South East Asian region with potential investment worth an estimated $100 billion.
An illustration of an integrated airport terminal handling both domestic and international traffic linked by light rail to an office park, hotel complex and public transport is one part of the Westralia Airports Corporation’s ‘Vision 2018’.
WAC general manager property, Andrew Whiteside, said Vision 2018 was an illustration of where WAC sees itself in the future.
“What the vision illustrates is within this time frame it is possible to facilitate $1 billion worth of new development,” Mr Whiteside said.
The vision includes development of the airport’s property estate with an expenditure target of $250 million for freight and logistics projects.
“The purpose is to secure the future of the airport internationally and in order to continue to grow we’ve got to integrate in the region,” Mr Whiteside said.
“It’s a strategic asset for the State so it’s important that we have a vision.”
There are two areas of development within the airport infrastructure, the traffic and visitors and the facilities that go with that, including the landbank.
Mr Whiteside said property development was a key factor in the initial privatisation of the Perth International airport in 1997.
The 2,105 hectare site includes 700 hectares available for property development and an area approximately the size of Kings Park has been set aside for conservation purposes.
The 2018 Vision includes the announcement of an $80 million redevelopment project to expand the international terminal which allows for consolidation of the domestic terminal in the future.
Building of the proposed two- level operation is expected to be in 2002, with a focus on changing the mix of services such as significant shopping and leisure projects.
“In the near term we will work on things like retail in the terminal along with the business park populations and things like golf courses and convention facilities for the working population in the area,” Mr Whiteside said.
Le Mans race organisers Panoz have had discussions with WAC regarding the development of a race track for the Asia Pacific Le Mans series.
Mr Whiteside said the proposed Le Mans race track on the WAC land would help to generate business from outside of WA.
“Inside the vision there’s a hotel up near the terminal and we got a lot of interest from people in the industry,” Mr Whiteside said.
“If you look at Kewdale and Welshpool there’s a high representation of international business.
“Kewdale is one area where you find a lot of international businesses and a lot of those businesses have customers from outside the market.”
