Redfern business welcomes Channel 7

The plan involves a 43,500 sq metre development that will contain a high-definition television production centre and offices on the currently under-utilised ATP. Seven and it’s magazine-publishing business, Pacific Magazines, will occupy 18,000 of those sq metres, with Redfern-Waterloo Authority CEO Robert Domm saying there will “be more to come” to fill-up the new media hub.

Seven will use the site for television production, with their current facilities in the north-western suburb of Epping set to be vacated in 2008.

For the RWA, the development should bring about more activity on the ATP site, which is long overdue. Currently on the ATP site, there are around 1,200 workers but Domm says that only about 20 % of the site’s potential is being used.

By the time Pacific magazines moves there in 2009 (following Seven in 2008), the ATP’s workforce is expected to rise to 4,000. The actual construction process is expected to create approximately 600 jobs, of which Morris Iemma last month promised at least 60 will go to Aboriginal people through the RWA’ s Indigenous Employment Model.

The ATP used to be the Eveleigh Railyards - a thriving industry that had 3,000 workers in the mid-50’s but in recent years has been converted into the ATP. Now, eleven years on, the RWA is hoping the new media hub, the largest private sector investment in the area, will re-invigorate the park and boost business in the general Redfern-Waterloo area.

[South Sydney Herald August 2006]