Growth plan will guide investment in the City region

The City of Greater Geraldton has welcomed a recent announcement by the Minister for Regional Development Terry Redman that the City has been chosen as one of four regional centres sharing $7.5 million to develop an economic growth plan for Western Australia.

City of Greater Geraldton Mayor, Ian Carpenter said the funding would be used to develop a plan that encourages collaboration and investment between both public and private sector and make Geraldton a highly desirable place to live, marking its place on the national stage.

“The Regional Centres Development Plan will identify which areas or industries need to be invested in so we can attract and retain up to 100,000 people in the City region.  Geraldton has a strong diverse economic base and we want to build more resilience into the economy and more opportunity by capitalising on our natural and human assets. We are well poised to plan for the next century,” he said.

“While our region enjoys an amazing level of economic and cultural diversity, and an outstanding natural environment, it is abundantly clear that we are only scratching the surface of its true potential.

“This is further reinforced when internationally significant assets such as the Square Kilometre Array radio telescope, diverse resource endowment, fishing and agricultural resources, are considered.

“Once the NBN is fully rolled out there will be many opportunities for the private sector in regard to telecommunications, information technology, digital health delivery and even international education including the expansion of  the Geraldton Universities Centre which could potentially establish the Mid West as the State's premier regional hub for knowledge, learning and innovation,”

Mayor Carpenter also says there is real potential for growth in the tourism, food processing, next generation solar, transport and logistics, agribusiness, aquaculture, wealth management whilst land development is ensuring the City can offer unique investment opportunities.

“Considerable public and private investment in the CBD including the Foreshore, West End Revitalisation Project and Batavia Coast Marina Stages one and two ensure the City can attract further investment in the dynamic CBD.

“Extensive planning and investment that has already been undertaken, and progress already made on major projects by both the City and the Mid West Development Commission are providing a strong foundation on which the growth plan can be developed and subsequently implemented.