Businesses looking to set up in Ballarat now have even more opportunities to do so, with 55 additional hectares of industrial land unlocked at the Ballarat West Employment Zone (BWEZ).
This builds on the 100 hectares already delivered on site through earlier development.
On Thursday, Member for Eureka, Michaela Settle represented Minister for Regional Development Jaclyn Symes and Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts Harriet Shing at BWEZ to officially mark the completion of Stage 2 civil works and the extension of Liberator Drive.
BWEZ stage 2 has delivered 55 additional hectares of industrial land adjacent to Ballarat Airport, with sewer, drainage, gas, water, electrical and NBN connections now installed, along with internal roadworks.
Completion of the interim Liberator Drive extension means that businesses will have easier access to the airport and the regional supply chain, boosting growth and providing more job opportunities for local workers.
Both packages of work were delivered by Winslow Constructors following individual competitive tendering processes. The company used a high percentage of local goods, suppliers and labor throughout the works, exceeding targets set under the Victorian Government's Local Jobs First Policy.
The completed works mean companies like Field Air and John Valves can now establish operations at BWEZ and join companies already on site and other future tenants- including CHS Broadbent, Kane Transport, Luv-A-Duck, Westlab and Athlegen.
Land sales-to-date and those underway at Stage 2 are predicted to bring the total number of ongoing jobs created at BWEZ to 1,200 and will generate millions in investment.
The Victorian Government announced the initiation of BWEZ in 2015 as a $30 million joint initiative with the City of Ballarat, which invested $5 million, to support economic growth for the city over two decades.
Since then, the Victorian Government has invested a further $45+ million to develop the land for businesses. This is in addition to $12 million invested to establish the BWEZ Acacia residential land development, which sold all 92 lots in record time.
The Victorian and Australian Governments have also committed funding to deliver the precinct's Intermodal Freight Hub.
BWEZ is on track to become the engine room for jobs and economic growth in Ballarat by developing more than 400 hectares of Crown land in stages over two decades.
BWEZ continues to be funded and delivered by Development Victoria, with Regional Development Victoria, Ballarat City Council and Invest Victoria attracting investors to the precinct.
