6.5 Industrial Parks, Local Government and State Government Industry is restricted to certain specific locations that offer utilities, infrastructure and market access. These restrictions are not a concern for the overwhelming majority of residential development and zoning. It is well understood that urban encroachment on industrial areas severely hampers or restricts economic activities and protection of industrial land for development and expansion will be necessary for Lithium Valley. Industrial parks are powerhouses of industrial activity and job creation. Apart from generating billions of dollars of revenues per year each new job created in the industrial area or around the port has a positive indirect multiplier impact of approximately 2.5 new indirect jobs being created. Residential developments can assist in creating knowledge economy centres and sub centres; however industrial areas provide a wider diversification of job opportunities especially for higher paying jobs. Industrial Parks naturally attract people wanting to live near their employment and centres of activity and it is critical that industrial and residential zoning is managed better in the future than in the past. In extreme situations residential encroachment can force the closure or relocation offshore of affected industries. Only the State Government is able to make strategic decisions about what is best for the State. In strategically important areas like the Western Trade Coast interviews with industry leaders stated that local government does not have the resources, experience, competencies or overview to appropriately govern these areas, although a local perspective is always necessary to be involved. This is why this report proposes a Specialised Industrial Park to protect the region for future generations as well as transferring planning powers to a specialist government body for strategically important areas like the Western Trade Coast. This will hopefully ensure that there is sufficient industrial land in the future and that the region operates for the benefit of the State and Nation whilst working in partnership with local government and the community.
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"The Western Trade Coast is a cornerstone of the WA economy and one of the most interconnected industrial precincts in the world. It is an unrecognised global leader in industrial symbiosis and an Australian economic gem. " “Industrial symbiosis engages traditionally separate industries in a collective approach to competitive advantage involving the physical exchange of materials, water, power, by products, infrastructure, people etc. The key to industrial symbiosis is the collaborative approach to maximising synergies offered by geographic proximity.” Chertow 2000.
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