The Muchea Industrial Park Structure Plan sets out high level coordination for planning and staging of future development of the 1,167-hectare industrial park located about 50 kilometres north-east of Perth, in the Shire of Chittering.
Muchea Industrial Park is the closest industrial area to Perth with access to triple road trains (RAV10 vehicles) and is strategically located at the junction of key arterial roads NorthLink, Great Northern Highway and Brand Highway.
These factors position the park as a future hub of economic activity, based primarily on freight and logistics, generating employment for the Wheatbelt and beyond.
This plan supersedes the former Muchea Employment Node Structure Plan (2011) in response to changes that have brought forward planning for the area, including the early arrival of NorthLink and establishment of the road train assembly area at Muchea. More detailed planning relating to individual precincts within the park will occur in line with planning approvals, and staging and delivery of infrastructure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Show moreWhat is the Muchea Industrial Park Structure Plan?
The Muchea Industrial Park Structure Plan sets out the planning arrangements for a thousand-hectare industrial park located about 50 kilometres north-east of Perth, in the Shire of Chittering. It covers land around the intersection of the Brand and Great Northern highways at Muchea, east of NorthLink (Tonkin Highway extension).
Is this the same as the Muchea Employment Node Structure Plan?
The Muchea Industrial Park Structure Plan updates and replaces the 2011 structure plan to accommodate a number of changes to the area over time. These changes include:
- the timing and route of NorthLink, which was adjusted to provide direct interchange access to the industrial park
- the intention to allow RAV10 (triple road trains) closer to Perth when Great Northern Highway is upgraded, which would see the industrial park have a more significant freight and logistics role
- environmental requirements including better protections for Ellen Brook (which runs to the west of the park) and more guidance for drainage and groundwater.
When will work begin to implement the structure plan?
The Muchea Industrial Park is already under construction and open for business.
It comprises five precincts, each with different characteristics and planning requirements. Precinct 1 is anchored by a large roadhouse, which opened in 2020. Other sites in the precinct are also developing including one for a leading agribusiness facility, with lots ranging from one to 30 hectares.
Landowners in other precincts are progressing with detailed investigations to bring their land to the market.
How long will the structure plan take to implement?
Today’s structure plan has a 20-year outlook. Completion of the Great Northern Highway upgrades is likely to boost implementation as triple road trains gain the ability to come closer to Perth (they currently disassemble in Wubin, some 250km north).
Who will implement the structure plan?
The structure plan will be brought to life by the landowners and developers in the industrial park. The precinct landowners are responsible for preparing more detailed plans to enable subdivision and development, which will be determined by the Shire of Chittering and the WA Planning Commission.
What sort of businesses will be based in the industrial area?
It is anticipated that three broad categories of businesses will be attracted to the park:
- Freight and logistics – With the intended future access for RAV10 triple road trains, future stages of the estate are likely to focus on freight and logistics, given its proximity to major transport routes and rail.
- Agri-business – The park is home to the State Livestock Centre and close to some of the State’s most successful agricultural areas.
- Local business – As there was previously no industrial-zoned land in the Shire of Chittering, the industrial park provides a dedicated industrial setting for local businesses that have outgrown their current locations.
How will the structure plan impact the local area?
The local area has gone through many changes in recent years, most notably due to the construction of the State Livestock Centre in 2010, and the opening of NorthLink in 2020, which includes elevated bridges alongside the park estate.
As the first industrial park for the Shire of Chittering, the Muchea Industrial Park has the potential to support local business ventures, while generating a pipeline of employment opportunities. It also provides a basis for local businesses to expand and grow their operations in a dedicated industrial setting.
How will increased traffic be managed?
The detailed subdivision and development plans required to be prepared by the park’s landowners include investigations into traffic impacts, which results in designs that provide for both the efficient movement of traffic, and safety for road users, including pedestrians and cyclists.
What about environmental impacts?
More than 200 hectares of land within the Muchea Industrial Park is to be set aside to protect the identified environmental values, including banksia woodland and cockatoo habitat. Planning of the site has established a one-kilometre separation between the park and the lower Chittering lifestyle estates to the east.
A robust plan for the park’s drainage network and wastewater disposal will help manage the several watercourses that drain into the Ellen Brook and the few areas of the site that are close to groundwater. The structure plan has investigated landscape impacts of the industrial park’s location at the base of the Gingin Scarp, and seeks to retain as much rural character and landscape as is possible.
Subdivision and development in the park is subject to all the usual environmental approvals.
What changes can we expect to see over the next 5 years?
More development in Precinct 1 is expected as initial land releases are built out and more lots released. As some of the major roads in the park estate begin to take shape, further land releases in some of the other precincts are likely. Some of the creeks and drainage lines across the park are also likely to be secured, and in some cases, revegetated.
