A movie studio and 4.5 star hotel is bound for Busselton, but could be aborted if the state government pull funding for the Busselton Margaret River Airport.
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Production company Vue Group has Busselton in its sights to develop the hotel and studio which would rival those in Melbourne’s Docklands, along with conference facilities, retail and hospitality outlets.
Vue Group managing director Alan Lindsay said there was a site in Busselton which they were about to put an offer on.
Mr Lindsay said the development was strongly connected to the airport having access to international flights, even if it were chartered flights.
“It is a major part of what we would and would not do, the airport is great for connecting up, but it is nothing if it does not have direct flights to Asia, it would be a huge difference for us,” he said.
Mr Lindsay said if the state government pulled funding for the airport they would be forced to make a decision about down-scaling the project, or look at other places closer to an international airport.
“We want to do it [in Busselton] it is the logical place to do it, it has good decent land, it has the connection with CinefestOZ,” he said.
“It is also where most films are shot in WA, Busselton is slap bang in the middle of the area where most people are filming.”
WA Premier Mark McGowan said he was supportive of any moves to boost tourism and create jobs in the South West which was a component of the government’s Plan for Jobs.
“That is why we are proceeding with the airport redevelopment,” he said.
“The budget situation we inherited from our predecessors is dire and like many project across the state, we are reviewing the scope of the project to ensure that taxpayers dollars are being spent wisely.
“This is the responsible thing to do. Further details will be released as part of the budget process.”
Vasse MP Libby Mettam said we could not afford to jeopardise the region’s reputation as a place to invest and as a region for future growth.
Ms Mettam said any cuts to this project could undermine the funds dedicated by the City of Busselton to attract airlines, compromise visitor’s expectations or fall on ratepayers.
Warren Blackwood MP Terry Redman said we kept hearing about the importance of jobs, tourism and supporting industry, yet the very project that could facilitate all these factors was threatened by the government’s Value Optimisation Review.
Mr Redman said private investors were attracted to the Busselton-Margaret River Regional Airport project as they saw the potential this new facility had in the South West.
“It seems short-sighted of the Labor Government to threaten the viability and scope of this project and risk losing critical private funding as investor decisions are based on a completed airport including the runway, terminal building, parking, roads and general amenities,” he said.
“I would expect any balanced review to uncover the significant importance of the regional airport to the whole state and the long-term benefits that will flow to many businesses and areas.
“It would be hoped that this results in the current government supporting the project in its entirety.”
City of Busselton chief executive officer Mike Archer said the city would not know the extent of the reduction of instrastructure works until a decision was handed down by the government.
Mr Archer said a reduction could affect the terminal, civils, services and landscaping works that were planned for the project.
“The city’s priority is that the original project objectives are not compromised, however, without knowing what the extent of the reduced funding is, it is difficult to speculate what the outcome may be and what infrastructure is likely to be cut (if any at all).”
City of Busselton mayor Grant Henley said the redeveloped Busselton Margaret River Airport would play a key role in driving significant regional economic growth and provide expansive social benefits.
Mr Henley said it would bolster our regional tourism industry and presented significant opportunity for airfreight cargo.
“It is no secret that the region is renowned for its high quality produce and is a substantial contributor to WA’s export figures,” he said.
Recently, the city sought support from its regional neighbours for a newly established marketing fund for the airport which would assist in the attraction and retention of airlines from the East Coast.
The Shire of Harvey chief executive officer Michael Parker was the first to pledge financial support recognising the potential opportunities the airport would bring to the South West.
The Busselton Margaret River Tourism Association also pledged $100,000 towards marketing to ensure the success of the project.
