WESTERN Sydney is in line for a blue-collar jobs boom, with a 30 per cent increase in industrial development in the region, where almost half of all jobs are on industrial-zoned land.
Department of Planning data shows that in the past year 200ha of employment land has been purchased in the area — which is an increase of 50ha on the year before — while 42 per cent of all Western Sydney jobs are in blue collar industries. In the rest of Sydney, jobs in industrial-zoned land only make up a quarter of all employment.
The majority of all existing industrial employment land is in Western Sydney — 69 per cent and set to grow.
Two local businesses are already bucking the trend of a decline in manufacturing jobs in other states, and boosting blue-collar jobs in the West.
After getting planning approval in December, Devondale’s $60 million Erskine Park milk processing plant is on its way to supplying an estimated 150 million litres of milk across the state per year.
The company is expected to add a total of 45 valuable jobs to the Mt Druitt and St Marys area as a result.
Dincel, a small business creating Lego-like bricks that reduce the building cost of housing by 40 per cent, is in the same employment-land area of Erskine Park and will create an estimated 130 jobs.
The company currently employs 65 people and will soon advertise for 12 more.
Planning minister Pru Goward said Western Sydney was proving a powerhouse for blue-collar jobs, with the most recent data showing that in 30 years the region will grow by 57,000 jobs — 36,000 of which will be industrial jobs.
“Land is ready and waiting for more businesses like Devondale to set up shop and employ skilled manufacturing workers,” Ms Goward said.
“Western Sydney is already an economic powerhouse, but now it’s experiencing a renaissance in industrial land development and jobs.
“While other sectors are winding down industry, Western Sydney is increasing manufacturing and the jobs that come with it.”
The government said last month it would triple the land for jobs in Western Sydney, proposing an extension of the zoning for the Western Sydney Employment Land precinct reaching the Badgerys Creek Creek airport site.
The plan to amend the State Environmental Planning Policy to allow the extension of employment land to the proposed second airport will be on display until September 19.
Alicia Wood, Daily Telegraph.
