High-powered forum
Parramatta City Council will host a day-long forum on the growth of Sydney, the expansion of Western Sydney and the role of Parramatta as the region's capital. A series of panel discussions will be moderated by the: NSW Property Council, Sydney Business Chamber, Tourism &Transport Forum, Infrastructure Partnerships Australia and the Committee for Sydney. The forum will be held at the Parkroyal, on Tuesday, March 8.

Dr Irving honoured
Dr Malcolm Irving  a longtime supporter of Macquarie University and closely involved in the development of Macquarie Graduate School of Management (MGSM), has been recognised for his outstanding service with the naming of one of the main MGSM buildings in his honour. Dr Irving’s long association with MGSM began as a visiting fellow in the mid-1980s. Dr Irving, who retired last year from the role of deputy chancellor of the university council, remains chairman of MGSM and as a director of Macquarie University Hospital

$100m theme park proposed
The concept plan application to the Department of Planning, by Melbourne-based Prospect Aquatic Investments Pty Ltd, for the development of a water theme park known as Wet 'n' Wild Sydney, on a 25.5 hectares at Prospect, is on public exhibition The estimated capital investment is $100 million. The NSW Government’s Western Sydney Parklands Trust owns the site.

$285 million expansion
The Hills Shire Council has approved Queensland Investment Corporation’s $285 million plan to expand Castle Towers by 60,000 square metres The expansion will include: a new 16-screen cinema complex; an eat-street area; 3085 additional carparking spaces; and more department stores, supermarkets, restaurants and retail stores.

Major plan for city
A major plan ‘‘strategically significant’’ to Penrith evolving into a regional city is currently in the planning process. Landcom is proposing to develop the North Penrith Urban Area, the vacant former army land just north of the railway station, providing residential, employment and open spaces. The plan prepared for Landcom states the capital investment value of the project was in the order of $423 million. 

Banks foreclose on centre
A syndicate of four banks has foreclosed on the newly renovated The Top Ryde Shopping Centre after the retail developer, John Beville, was unable to meet the repayments on loans used to give the centre a facelift.  His company, which owes an estimated $700 million to its lenders, has appointed McGrathNicol as receiver, McGrathNicol partner, Joseph Hayes, said new centre managers had been appointed, but day-to-day operations of the centre would remain unchanged.

No to more flights
Bankstown Airport Limited has expressed its disappointment with the
decision by Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Anthony Albanese, to not approve the Bankstown Airport Master Plan. “The Minister contends that the inclusion of a proposal for 32 scheduled passenger movements per day is a significant change to the airport’s operations. We disagree with the minister’s contention, as the proposal is an extension of the standing approvals from the Master Plan 2005,” said CEO, Colin Grove

Freight terminal plans
Detailed design and approval of the Moorebank Intermodal Freight Terminal would be completed by mid to late 2011 and, subject to planning outcomes, its staged development is proposed to start in late 2012 or 2013, said Gavin Bishop, national director industrial, for Colliers International.

Office project commences
Leighton Properties and Grosvenor Australia have commenced construction of the landmark 19-level, 25,660-square-metre Eclipse Tower, on the corner of Station and Hassall streets, in the Parramatta CBD, after securing tenancy pre-commitments of approximately 70 per cent from QBE Insurance and Deloitte, which will occupy 12,000 square metres and 6000 square metres, respectively, The end value of the building will be about $170 million. Both companies will relocate from other premises in the Parramatta CBD. The development is due for completion in August 2012. 

Campuses as laboratories
Professor Scott, UWS pro-vice-chancellor (quality) said the university was interested in using its campuses as laboratories for environmental sustainability, "particularly with regard to climate change and various options for dealing with it". 

Parramatta funding for upgrading skills
The Parramatta-based apics NSW, a society for supply chain professionals, has secured NSW government funding for its Women in Manufacturing Cluster to support career enhancement opportunities for women working in manufacturing. The program for 2011 will consist of four workshop-style learning and interactive opportunities.   

UWS scores high ranking
UWS research scored well in the Australian Research Council's (ARC) Excellence in Research for Australia (ERA) evaluation, with two of the university's key research areas - cultural studies and plant biology - labelled "well above world standard" and achieving a score of five, the highest ranking possible. The ERA 2010 National Report is the first comprehensive assessment of the research quality within Australia's universities, measuring it against research carried out by other institutions around the world.

Hotel sold for $19 million
Publican, Patrick Gallagher, has sold PJ Gallagher’s, in the Parramatta CBD, for $19.35 million to the Iris Hotel Group, which has a portfolio of high-profile Sydney pubs. The deal was negotiated on a yield of 10.5 per cent-11.5 per cent.

$119 million data centre
Computer giant, Hewlett-Packard expects its data centre, built at a cost of $119 million Eastern Creek, to be operational before the end of the year. The building work does not include the cost of technology infrastructure. HP will initially open 2320 square metres, with the site able to hold a further four blocks of the same size. The centre is expected to be in operation for between 30 years 50 years, according to The Australian Financial Review.  

Signs of life returning 
Glenn Byers, executive director, Property Council NSW, said signs of life were returning to the office tenancy market in Parramatta. The vacancy rate decreased from 10.8 per cent to 9.6 per cent in the six months to January 2011, with the decrease due solely to positive demand, with net absorption of 8,279 square metres in the past six months.

400 new jobs in defence industry
Advanced composite manufacturer, Quickstep Technoligies, is moving its operations from Western Australia to NSW where it will will set up a $15 million facility, at Bankstown Airport, in a former Boeing facility. Quickstep will supply up to 16 different F-35 Joint Strike Fighter components, after securing a long term agreement, valued at more than half a billion dollars, with global defence contractor Northrop Grumman. The relocation will create up to 400 new jobs and inject $180 million into the NSW economy.

12-storey hotel proposed
The Department of Planning has issued its requirements for the environmental assessment to be prepared for the redevelopment of the 17-hectare Parklea Markets site, to include a 12 storey, 336 room, 4.5 star hotel, an exhibition/convention centre and a growers market. The proposed development will have a capital investment value of around $140 million dollars.