Central Coast Council is set to finalise a business development lease with Central Coast Industry Connect for a Central Coast Food Manufacturing Innovation Hub in Brownlee St, Ourimbah.
The maximum term of the business development lease will be 30 years inclusive of options.
Central Coast Industry Connect (CCIC) has undertaken to employ a food manufacturing innovation and development officer to facilitate research and innovation in food manufacturing in the region.
The period allowed to transition to full market rent will be 20 years with Central Coast Industry Connect responsible for site outgoings on a pro-rata basis including but not limited to applicable waste, water and sewerage charges, rates and land tax (if applicable).
CCIC is a not-for-profit umbrella body for the manufacturing sector on the Central Coast and has received government commitments of more than $17M to establish the Central Coast Food Manufacturing Innovation Hub.
The facility will be a co-operative hub for food manufacturing research, innovation, promotion and education.
Council identified the Ourimbah site as being highly suitable for the Hub’s purposes.
The terms on which a lease will be offered over the site are outside the parameters of Council’s existing Leasing and Licensing Facilities Policy.
The development is in keeping with Council’s first Central Coast Economic Development Strategy for the region, adopted in September, 2020, a report to the June 27 meeting said.
“The strategy identifies that by 2040 the Central Coast will welcome nearly 88,000 additional residents and is targeting the creation of 72,000 new jobs,” the report said.
“Identified in that strategy are key sectors that the Central Coast is strongly represented in, and emerging sectors that Council will support through its economic development activities.
“Food manufacturing is a key sector already operating on the Central Coast and is identified as a key growth sector.
“CCIC is a not-for-profit manufacturing sector umbrella body which maintains, grows and promotes manufacturing and other value-adding industries on the Central Coast and currently supports all of the key growth sectors identified in Council’s adopted Economic Development Strategy.”
The report says establishment and operation of the Hub contributes to five of the strategy’s nine key deliverables.
“The Hub will be a purpose-built facility designed to foster local business and promote the Central Coast as a nationally significant player in the food processing sector,” it says.
“It will incorporate a fully functioning and equipped pilot facility and skills development centre that drives industry collaboration and innovation and develops the skills of business owners, managers, employees and contractors.”
The Hub is expected to be operational by 2026 and will be developed in three stages.
The first stage will see the establishment of a skills centre and associated programs.
The second stage will see construction and fit out of a suitable building and installation of pilot facilities.
The third stage will activate the pilot facilities for product development and contract manufacturing and extend its use to the skills centre.
The report says the economic impact of the project will be significant, with more than 200 direct jobs (and potentially 4,000 indirect jobs) being generated over time.
“The multiplier effect of businesses being nurtured and accelerated through the Hub are unknown at this stage but given that manufacturing is one of the largest employment sectors on the Central Coast the anticipated flow on employment benefits will be significant,” it says.
Ourimbah was identified as the preferred location because of its proximity to established food and beverage manufacturers and to the Central Coast campus of University of Newcastle.
Source:
Central Coast Council meeting, Jun 27