Council agrees to go ahead with $17 million project at the Logic Business Park
SCT’s planned intermodal freight hub at the Logic business park outside of Wodonga has won crucial council approval.
Today, it passed a motion to sell a parcel of land – including space for a warehouse and a 1.5km rail siding at the site – to the logistics company’s property arm Blanalko.
Wodonga mayor Rodney Wangman says the continual development of Logic represents “a step in the right direction” for the city.
“The vision for Logic is not just the council’s vision but is now a shared vision of regional organisations, business and developers, particularly those in close proximity to the site,” Wangman notes.
“[It] will allow the council to have a diversified rate base for the city with commercial rates providing a growing component.
“A rail terminal at Logic has been a key feature of council plans throughout the past decade.”
The council received 22 public submissions on the proposed land sale, “many of which”, it says, were supportive of the plan.
Wangman says each was given great consideration before today’s vote.
The cost of building the rail terminal and other infrastructure will be taken on by SCT and Blanalko.
The sale contract also includes clauses and penalties to mitigate the council-side risk in the cooperative project.
Damages will be payable if SCT fails to meet its obligations, the council notes.
“It is the council’s position that the benefits of this project far outweigh the concessions made to attract this investment to our region,” Wangman says.