NSW Government shortlists agency lease possibilities

The NSW Government is on track to deliver the biggest ever government agency leasing commitment in Western Sydney, bringing more public sector jobs to the booming West.

Minister for Finance, Service and Property, Dominic Perrottet, today announced the state government had formed a shortlist of candidates to submit detailed proposals for up to 62,000 square metres of new A-Grade office accommodation in Sydney’s west.

The leasing solution will accommodate at least 4,000 public service roles in Western Sydney, with around 1,700 of those roles relocating directly from the CBD.

“Western Sydney is the beating heart of the NSW economy, and this Government is laying the foundations for a boom in jobs and economic growth to match the booming population,” Mr Perrottet said.

“In terms of establishing a major public-service base in the West, this leasing search is on an unprecedented scale, and will deliver more jobs closer to where people live, and a major stimulus for the local economy.”

The Government’s plan, first announced last year, includes the creation of a Western Sydney Planning and Environment “hub”, consolidating around 2,500 roles from the Department of Planning and Environment, the Office of Environment and Heritage and the Environment Protection Authority, enabling those agencies to better collaborate.

Approximately 1,600 roles from the Department of Finance, Services and Innovation will also be accommodated as part of the leasing search, with room for further relocations.

In the initial expressions of interest stage, the Government received a strong response from industry, with 28 proposals lodged for the accommodation solution. The shortlisted proponents will now be invited to participate in the detailed tender phase, due to close in November, with the successful proponent expected to be announced by the end of 2016.

Western Sydney Director of the Sydney Business Chamber, David Borger, said the announcement represents an incredible economic catalyst for Western Sydney.

“It makes sense to locate these agencies in Western Sydney given it is the heart of metropolitan Sydney,” he said. 

“This investment will supercharge the development of professional services and the retail economy.”

Since 2014, the Government has announced the relocation of more than 4,200 public service roles from the CBD to Western Sydney, including more than 1,800 jobs from the Department of Education, which will be relocated to Parramatta from 2018.