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Dunheved/North St Marys industrial area modernisation   26 Aug 2008

Plans to revitalise and modernise the Dunheved/North St Marys industrial area are taking shape.

Dunheved Business Park Development Committee has been renamed Dunheved Industrial Group and teamed up with Penrith Valley Chamber of Commerce to push the cause.



Picture Caption : Huge potential: Dunheved Industrial Group secretary David Trist and All Metal Products design engineer Peter Kommer and sales manager Charlie Sammut believe that the Dunheved/North St Marys industrial area will flourish with modernised infrastructure. Picture: Gary Warrick

The new group holds its inaugural meeting 4-7pm today at St Marys Leagues. The group joined the local chamber to boost its campaign in lobbying Penrith Council, Delfin Lend Lease and the State Government to develop a master plan to modernise and revitalise the area.

The Dunheved Industrial Group also aims to increase business interaction between local businesses to promote growth and sustainability and support the creation of local jobs Group secretary David Trist has high hopes for the area, which was a munitions manufacturing plant before the Federal Government sold the land after World War II.

Ideas Mr Trist has for revitalising the area include attracting high-tech industry businesses and forming a relationship with the University of Western Sydney. ``The land is cheap and the close location to public transport and the M4 is ideal,'' he said. ``It's a very valuable area to the local economy. There's a huge variety of opportunities for manufacturing businesses. But the current infrastructure is a drawback. A master plan needs to be put in place to suit the infrastructure.''

Mr Trist is urging the State Government to improve the local road system, which is at present used by 33,000 vehicles a day. Westbus recently lodged a development application to move its Penrith bus depot in Mulgoa Road to Lee Holm Road in the St Marys industrial area, where it would operate 24 hours a day seven days week.

Mr Trist reckons there will be an additional 84 vehicles on roads in peak hours if this happens. He says the new relationship with the local chamber will go a long way. ``To have the biggest Chamber of Commerce branch in NSW on your side is a good advocate,'' he said.

Source : Penrith Star