SET to be WA's biggest investment in agri-logistics, the Peel Business Park, Nambeelup, is steadily taking form, as stage one lot sales are almost finished, with three lots still available.
With the final stages of design underway, interest has already been expressed for stage two of lot sales, which is said to open soon.
Stage two, which will include some larger lots, and beyond, will be released according to demand.
The Peel Business Park comprises a 1000 hectare precinct.
The first part of the precinct to be developed is a 120ha agri-innovation zone and planning, design and costing will be finalised before December, with construction set to begin in February 2020 for occupation by early 2022.
Owned by the Shire of Murray, the Peel Business Park is the first of three stages that make up the integrated Transform Peel initiative, which also includes the 42,000ha Peel Food Zone and the Peel Integrated Water initiative.
The precinct is set to comprise university-led science laboratories, food product research and small-batch production facilities, offices, co-working spaces, business incubator facilities, cold and dry storage facilities, meeting rooms, a cafe and public presentation areas.
It will also accommodate a business support network with mentors and business specialists.
The sale of lots is being handled by CBRE Agribusiness associate director Phil Melville, who said the Peel Business Park would be the only agribusiness precinct in WA and given there is local, State and Federal government support, possibly the fastest and most supported development in recent history.
"It's a service industry for mechanics, intensive agricultural supply, research and development and large service providers that cover the State and regional areas," Mr Melville said.
"We are very keen to attract intensive agricultural producers, agricultural product processing and cold storage and logistics.
"I'm also targeting the value adding to agricultural products and linkages to international markets."
The precinct will also have enhanced communication systems with a submarine cable running from Perth to Singapore.
Its location strategically enables convenient road train access and is in close proximity to port and airport facilities, while being the South West's gateway to Perth and 10 kilometres from Mandurah.
Landcorp said the facility would support the Peel region's predicted growth from 130,000 people to more than 140,000 by 2050 through employment opportunities.
LandCorp chief executive Frank Marra said the development would be a agri-innovation hub for the Peel region but would ultimately broaden the State economic base with enterprise product development and production primarily for international markets.
"The Shire of Murray's agri-innovation hub will be a co-operative research and product development precinct - the first of its kind in WA," Mr Marra said.
"It will develop sustainable enterprise, economic opportunity and exports, primarily in the agtech, IT and food and beverage sectors, through the establishment of an ecosystem comprising existing businesses, entrepreneurs and start-ups, common use infrastructure and scientific research and product and business development support.
"The facility will provide access to new technologies to test and build new products, as well as to new domestic and export markets.
"Peel Business Park will be the first industrial estate in WA to integrate a microgrid over multiple 'green titles' or parcels of land in 'fee simple', including the use of renewable generation and battery storage."
At the time of writing, the three lots that remained in stage one, all zoned light industrial, were:
- Lot 27, of 4200 square metres and priced at $430,000;
- Lot 35, measuring 2438m2, priced $320,000;
- Lot 36, of 2713m2, priced at $360,000.
