A SYDNEY ‘sustainable’ water utility, Flow Systems, is in an agreement with Hydro Aluminium to buy the former Kurri Kurri aluminium smelter site.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
The smelter closed in 2014 and Hydro has been working on remediating the 2000-hectare site, and preparing it for sale, since then.
Neither side would discuss the value of the sale but Flow Systems’ executive manager of development, Jamin Tappouras, said Hydro would continue to be responsible for the remediation of the site, with Flow responsible for its longer term management.
Master-plans for the site is under way and Mr Tappouras said Flow would be continuing with the same general model of a mixture of residential and commercial use.
“We are not looking at anything radically different but it will be a better outcome for the community,” Mr Tappouras said.
He said Flow was looking to “increase the residential component”, with a target of about 2500 to 3000 homes.
Flow was a water utility, not a developer, and Mr Tappouras said it would be bringing in development partners on the project.
He said Flow had already worked on the Central Park development at Chippendale in inner Sydney, as well as providing the water infrastructure at the Huntlee development at Branxton, the Watagan Park project at Cooranbong, and a development at Wyee for the Stevens Group.
Hydro managing director Richard Brown said Flow Systems was an ideal partner for Hydro at Kurri. He said planning for the 2000-hectare site included 250 hectares for housing and 250 hectares for commercial development, with 1200 hectares to be conserved.
Ian Kirkwood
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
Reporting journalist at the Newcastle Herald since 1987. Editorial writer, general reporter, industrial relations, industry and coal.
