Before the recent global financial crisis, there were fears in the real estate fraternity that there would be a shortage of industrial land. Although the demand has decreased in the past year or two, need has remained steady enough to drive the demand for industrial land in outlying suburbs.
The General Manager of LandCorp, David Lewis, told The West Australian that demand for commercial land in Western Australia is driven by the resource industry. More industrial hubs are appearing in Wattleup, Bibra Lake, Landsdale, and Wangara, and many buyers are not waiting until the land is officially released before making a claim. Lewis said that there is strong demand in Enterprise Park in Wangara and other industrial estates.
The land used for industrial purposes can be zoned for logistics, transport, fabrication, printing services, warehousing, or showrooms. Lewis explained:
“Other industries such as shipbuilding could be given special zoning.”
The resources industry is also responsible for recent population growth in Perth’s outer suburbs. Perth’s population has increased by 26.2%since 2001, while the population of Western Australia in general grew by only 15.8%. A similar trend is seen in the growth of population figures in suburbs around the other capital cities.