An $80 million shopping centre development at Joondalup would provide an important boost to employment in the region, Premier Carmen Lawrence said today.
Dr Lawrence said a construction workforce of 250 would be employed early next year and another 900 permanent full-time and part-time jobs would be created when the shopping centre became fully operational.
"Many more jobs will be created indirectly in businesses which will supply products and services to the shopping centre," Dr Lawrence said.
"Retail sales at the new centre will also receive a boost from the many shoppers who are likely to use the northern suburbs railway which runs adjacent to the development.
"Joondalup is at the heart of one of Australia's fastest-growing regional corridors and the current population of about 190,000 is set to increase to 300,000 by early next century."
The shopping centre was a joint venture of the Armstrong Jones Property Income Fund and LandCorp and would feature supermarkets, a department store and about 100 speciality shops.
About 26,000 square metres of retail space would be built in stage one of the project.
The second stage of development would reflect the region's growing population with another 80,000 square metres of retail space, making the centre more than twice the size of Booragoon's Garden City.
Dr Lawrence said the Joondalup project was an excellent example of a constructive relationship between the public and private sectors.
"LandCorp's key role in planning and marketing the Joondalup City project has attracted considerable private sector investment capital," she said.
"This project gives northern suburbs residents a world-class shopping centre as well as making a major contribution to the State's economy."
