$18m LINK Gracemere Project Underway
The Queensland Telegraph - May 18 2013
Developer John Kele has wasted no time in announcing an $18 million industrial complex in the wake of this week’s council decision to rezone land in Gracemere.
Mr Kele has declared his intention to build 12 factory/warehouse units on a block which will be re-zoned for medium impact industry under the major amendment to the planning scheme.
"The decision is the green light for us to see it as a viable development," he told The Queensland Telegraph on Thursday.
"The re-zoning means that companies will be able to operate there 24-hours a day and that’s where the demand is. Prior to the switch it was light industrial land which limits business hours to 12 hours a day."
Mr Kele’s company, Kele Property Group, says the LINK Gracemere development is already under way.
Aurizon has agreed to lease a 3,190 square metre unit which is under construction.
"Now we have the confidence to market the rest of the site and we already have a few leads on companies who are looking to move to the area.
We will build what we know we can lease and the significant benefit for businesses is that they can have first class, purpose-built facilities without the burden of large capital expenditure that comes with building and owning their own premises."
He said he believed the 20,000 square metre floor space development could create upwards of 200 jobs, although that will depend on the labour intensiveness of the businesses that lease the units.
"I think the bulk of new businesses coming to Gracemere will be in mining support and I’m sure that by the end of the year we will be hearing of major developments there."
Mayor Margaret Strelow said she believed Tuesday’s decision was momentous and historic, setting the stage for significant investments.
"Our task now is to grow the opportunities into jobs and stability for our future. The decision has been a long time coming, but it’s one we needed to make sure we got right for our community and to show industry that the Rockhampton region is open for business," she said.
Anyone interested in LINK Gracemere is asked to contact Neale Crow at Knight Frank.
