Newcastle Herald Oct 3 2002.

Developers Eye Tomalpin Start

By Neil Keene

Workers in Cessnock are poised to begin construction on what may become the biggest industrial estate in NSW.

Developers of the 870 ha Hunter Employment Zone (HEZ) at Tomalpin are hoping to secure approval from Cessnock council within weeks for the first stage of the project.

A development application and associated reports are on public exhibition.

The first stage of the development would cost $30 million, take about 5 months to complete and create between 80 and 90 jobs.

It involves clearing land for the 5.5km arterial road throught the estate and construction of a rail link with the main line that runs to Newcastle and North to Brisbane.

HEZ spokesman Matt Somers said a national and international marketing campaign to lure industry to the site would soon begin.

Site costs would be about one quarter of Sydney prices.

"Enthusiasm for this project and the support and interest we are receiving is exceptional," he said.

"We believe people will commit quickly to occupy the Site once the DA (development application) is approved".

Complete development of the estate, planned to take between 20 and 30 years, would create up to 10,000 jobs and thousands more through the flow-on economy.

However, Cessnock council general manager Col Cowan said it could still be some time before a decision to approve or reject the development is reached.

Mr Cowan said the waiting time would depend on the number of submissions made to the council during the plan's 28-day public exhibition period.

The State Government granted conditional approval for the HEZ in March.

Under the conditions, environmental plans must precede development applications to ensure industries will not pose hazards to nearby residents and conservation zones.

But action group Friends of Tumblebee spokesman James Ryan said the HEZ management strategies still failed to provide protection to 26 threatened species on the site.

"We are confident that there is widespread concern in the community that the industrial estate is too big and too much bushland is going to be destroyed" he said.

The development would have to be reduced to 200ha to win the group's full support.

The group is holding a public meeting on the issue on October 15 from 7pm at the Kurri Kurri Community Centre.