From little things, big things grow … Western Sydney International (WSI) has revealed plans for a Business Precinct at the future international hub, with a ten-storey, 154-room hotel on the cards for the 20-hectare site.
Operating within the “hotel precinct” will be a two-storey gym, cafe, shops, conference facility and shared car park. Authorities expect work on the hotel to wrap up by late 2025.
Reflecting the growth of Western Sydney and catering to its needs, the business precinct will also comprise around 25,000 square metres of warehouse and office space.
WSI CEO Simon Hickey said the precinct would evolve alongside the airport and also its surroundings.
“While the airport and the connections to it are being built, there are thousands of workers across the runway, terminal, civil works, metro and M12 construction sites and they will be the first to use this precinct which will adapt to meet the needs of airport customers,” Hickey remarked.
“Once the airport becomes operational in 2026, the precinct will welcome flight crews and international passengers, but we are leading the way by meeting the demand for shops, accommodation and offices, which is increasing as momentum builds.”
Officials expect stage one of the development, which includes the construction of internal roads and connections to arterial roads, will create 400 jobs and another 2,000 permanent jobs once the business precinct is fully operational.
WSI, or Nancy-Bird Walton Airport, is predicted to open to international, domestic and air cargo flights in late 2026.
“Western Sydney International Airport is shaping up as a destination in its own right and we are making sure that we cater to local demand during the construction phase and as we grow to ultimately become Sydney’s biggest airport,” Hickey said.
“The vision for Western Sydney International is to maximise the economic uplift of the new airport by bringing business and commercial development alongside international and domestic passenger flights and cargo services in a vibrant, diverse and growing region.”
Twelve months on
In another milestone moment for WSI, work on a new toll-free motorway connecting the airport has now been underway for a year.
If all goes to plan, the new 16-kilometre road, called the M12, will open prior to WSI’s launch and carry 52,000 vehicles a day by 2036.
“This road is an essential part of the strategy to ensure Western Sydney International Airport enjoys good transport connections from the outset,” Federal Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said.
Meanwhile, Senator for New South Wales Tony Sheldon said the road “expands the benefits of the Western Sydney International Airport beyond the airport itself to better link with Western Sydney communities”.
“This project will see connectivity and road linkages match the facility and demand of the Western Sydney International Airport’s passenger and freight transport requirements,” he stated.
For more information on the airport, visit www.westernsydney.com.au.
In March, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) issued Western Sydney International Airport its three-letter code in record time.
