AN ECONOMIC boost and “hundreds of jobs” could be on the horizon for Armidale, if a multi-million dollar funding application for a business park by council is successful.
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Armidale Regional Council’s organisation services group leader Lindsay Woodland said the Armidale airport business park will benefit the entire Northern Tablelands region including Guyra, Walcha and Uralla.
“We have detailed plans already developed and that was part of the application process,” Mr Woodland said.
“The business park will have the potential to expand to well over 100 sites in the future and we recently purchased a strategic block of land to allow that to happen.
“We are very excited about this project. This is going to be a major hub for regional NSW.
“There are many in the region who will benefit from this project.”
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall joined Armidale Regional Council representatives to announce the submission of the official funding application with the state government at Armidale airport on Tuesday.
Mr Marshall said council had applied for a $5 million grant as part of the $7.2 million project to activate the Armidale regional airport business park.
“It’s a business park that has been a long time in its genesis with 73 blocks for industrial, commercial and bulky goods use at the airport on the doorstep of one of the busiest highways in this country,” Mr Marshall said.
“This development is about economic growth and jobs, and has the potential to create hundreds of new jobs right here in the heart of the Northern Tablelands.”
The grant is likely to be approved in the coming months.
“This is economic development at its best. Council are already in negotiations and discussions with companies who are keen to buy those blocks of land,” Mr Marshall said.
“This is a perfect project for the NSW Government’s new $1.3 billion Regional Growth Fund, which is designed to financially empower regional communities, with large pools of funding to smash down roadblocks inhibiting economic growth.
“The business park will be yet another major positive project for the region and dovetail in with the airport terminal upgrades, the TAFE NSW Digital Headquarters, the Armidale Future School, the Hospital redevelopment and move of the APVMA to the region.
”I’d like to see our region become the fastest growing region in our state and a win for Armidale is a win for the whole region.”
Mr Marshall has invited deputy Premier John Barilaro who is also Minister for Regional New South Wales, Minister for Skills and Minister for Small Business to visit the region.
